The Guy Next Door
by Kat10190
Summary: Gabriella Montez has had a crush on the guy next door since she first moved to New Mexico 5 years ago. Problem is he is popular and she is not. With her best friend Ryan by her side will she get through the rest of her high school life and any problems she may come in contact with? Will she get the guy she wants? Or will something blossom between her and her best friend?
1. Chapter 1

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 1**

_Hey guys! So this is my first fanfic, I'm kind of new at this and I'm not sure how well it will turn out but I hope it doesn't turn out too bad. I'm going to try my best though. I have about several chapters written in my notebook already so it's just a matter of typing them up on my computer and uploading them. I'm going to do one or two at a time for right now and see what you think then if you like it I will upload more. Any way! Here is the first chapter, I hope you enjoy! Leave some reviews to tell me what you think, but don't be a jerk about it, and if you have any ideas you want to think about adding or any advice feel free to leave it in your review or pm me! P.S right now I'm planning on just using Gabriella's point of view but if you want me to use other character POV's then let me know!_

It was Saturday evening, I had just finished work. I work the night shift in our local hospital's Food and Nutrition department, it's from 4-7:30 or later depending on when we get done but we are usually always done before 8. I was heading to pick up my sister Isabella from the sitter's when I decided that first I would stop at the store to pick up the things I needed for dinner. As I was walking through the store collecting the things I needed and putting them in my basket, I was suddenly knocked over onto the ground. "Shit! I'm so sorry miss I didn't mean to run into you like that. I'm just in somewhat of a hurry..." I heard a familiar voice say. As I looked up my eyes met those heart stopping ocean blue eyes of the guy I have had a crush on for the last five years, Troy Bolton. "Gabriella? Oh are you alright?" I was in such a daze I almost didn't hear him. "U..Um y..yes I'm okay" I managed to say. "Here let me help you up" he grabbed hold of my hand and helped me get up off the floor then got down and picked up the things I had dropped and handed the basket of stuff back to me. "Thanks" I said. "No problem, and again I'm sorry" he flashed that amazingly bright smile and with a "Have a nice night" he was gone. My heart started beating again as I let out a sigh. I liked him so much but he had never been that into me.

Troy and I had been neighbors ever since I moved to Albuquerque five years ago. We had talked now and then but we never really became friends per say. He was also the boyfriend of my best friend's twin sister, Sharpay, who hated me for some unknown reason. They had been together for about two and a half years now. They were considered the perfect couple and the number one couple of our school. Everyone loved them and found them absolutely adorable. Of course, they were also two of the most popular kids at school. Sharpay is the cheerleading captain and Troy is captain of the basketball team. Most high schools revolve around their football team but at our school, East High, the basketball team is what the school revolves around. To them I'm just a nobody, a nerd if you will. I'm captain of the school's Scholastic Decathlon team and of our Chemistry club. I tutor other students, take advanced courses, and are a straight A student. No one the popular kids would associate themselves with. As I took a deep breath, with this thought in my head, I finished my shopping and cashed out.

Once I got home I changed out of my work clothes and into some more comfortable clothes. I put some television on for Isabella then I headed into the kitchen to start making dinner. "Ella! Ella!" that's what my sister called me as she did not know how to say my full name Gabriella. "Yes sweetheart?" I bent down to her level, she was four. " Is Ry Ry coming for dinner?" I giggled. "Why yes he most certainly is so you better be on your best behavior got it?" I tickled her belly and she laughed. "I will, I will, I promise" I smiled at her and gave her a hug. "Okay good. Now go finish watching your show" I patted her on her behind as she ran off and got back to cooking.

Ryan is my best friend and has been since I moved here. My first year here I was constantly bullied and ridiculed. Everyone was so mean to me and I couldn't seem to fit in or make any friends. So one night, while my parents were at work I ran to a bridge on the far side of town that went over a river. It was cold and the water was moving fast. I started crying as I climbed up onto the rails of the bridge and looked around to make sure no one was near. When I was sure I was alone I took a deep breath, said goodbye, and went to jump off when a pair of hands grabbed me and pulled me down onto the sidewalk. It was Ryan. He had been on a run to clear his head of some things he was going through when he saw me about to jump and wasn't going to let me. He saved me. He was yelling at me asking if I was crazy and what was I thinking as the tears in my eyes fell quicker, then he hugged me tight and held me trying to calm me down. After I was calm enough we got up and he insisted on walking me home. On the way he asked me what had driven me to near suicide. At that point I just poured my heart out to him not really knowing why other than the feeling that I could trust him and tell him anything even when I didn't know him at all. He listened and understood and was determined to make things better for me even if it was just by a little bit. From that day one we were best friends. We have been nearly inseparable since.

My sister was born a year after that horrific event so Ryan has been around since she was born and they have grown real close. He thinks of her as his own family and loves her just the same. It was kind of cute when you saw the two of them interacting with one another. Ryan always came over for dinner at least once every weekend and a couple of times during the week as well. On the weekends he usually came with his parents. Any other time he just came by himself. We hung out all of the time and our parents were pretty close as well. Ever since we became best friends our parents have thought the two of us would make a cute couple and never ceases to make this thought known. It can be very embarrassing sometimes. My parents got home from work about an hour after I got home and then Ryan and his parents came over about 30 minutes after my parents. We always invited Sharpay but of course she did not like me so always went over to Troy's instead.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 2**

"Hey beautiful" Ryan said when he and his parents arrived. I couldn't help but giggle. "Hey handsome" I said with a smile, then we shared in an embrace and Ryan gave me a kiss on the cheek. That was a normal greeting for us; we were best friends but flirted now and again as neither of us was in a relationship. "Ry Ry!" Isabella came running in as Ryan and I broke our embrace. "Hey Izzy, how's my favorite little princess doing?" he picked her up and spun her around as she giggled happily and then he hugged her and held her for a while. I always loved seeing him interact with her. I couldn't help but think of how great of a father he would make some day. He was amazing with children. It was almost unbelievable.

Ryan helped me set the table for dinner and then we all sat down and had a nice meal as well as some nice chit chat. Everyone took turns explaining how their day was and what their plans were for next week. It was very nice. I always liked when we had these dinners, they always relaxed me and put me in a great mood regardless of how my day went. After dinner our parents had some wine together while Ryan and I cleaned up from dinner and had our own private conversations. Once that was done we all watched some television. Ryan and I were on the floor with me lying down with my head on as his lap as we played with Isabella a bit. Ryan used his free hand to play with my hair which was something he loved doing and I had to admit I kind of liked it myself as well. Okay so maybe we were a little close than just best friends but we still were far from a couple. Ryan flirted with girls all the time and I did the same with a few guys who I took interest in just like at work. There are about three or four guys at work that I find really cute so yeah of course I'm going to flirt with them. Hell it's not like I have anything to lose. After all I am single. But it's not like we get jealous at all when we see one another flirting with someone else, just because we flirt once in a while…okay maybe a little more than that..doesn't mean anything. It's just a bit of fun that's all. Any way after playing with Isabella for a while Ryan and I went for a walk and once we got back we put Isabella to bed then played some video games. Yes I am a girl and yes I do play video games okay? All was going well until we heard some shouting next door, our parents included. We all went out to see what was going on.

"You are such a fucking bastard Troy!" "Oh yeah?! Well you're a fucking bitch Sharpay!' Sharpay gasped and then her face got red with anger and tears welling in her eyes. "I hate you!" she shouted. "Go fuck yourself!" Troy said in response. We all stood dumbfounded not knowing what to make of the situation right in front of us. Ryan cleared his throat and the couple looked at us. Sharpay came storming over and demanded they leave right away. Troy ran his hands through his brown hair in frustration and shook his head as he went back into his house. Ryan's parents tried calming Sharpay down but had no such luck, so they got ready to leave. "The queen has spoken I see" I mumbled hoping no one would hear. Ryan turned to me "Sorry the evening had to be cut short Gabs, you know how my sister is, she's so melodramatic" I gave him a small smile, I was a bit bummed out that they were leaving already but there was nothing I could do about that. "It's okay Ry no big deal. I'll see you on Monday?" "You bet" he replied. "Good now come over here and give me my hug and kiss goodbye" I said with a smirk. "Of course princess" I giggled and then he gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek. Then they left. "Always have to get what you want don't you Sharpay? Ugh I don't see how Troy can handle you or your family for that matter" I said to myself. I waved as they drove away and then I headed inside.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 3**

I went back inside and decided to bake some cookies. While the cookies were baking I went outside to water my plants. When I looked up over into the next yard I saw Troy attacking his punching back ferociously. It is something he did, other than shoot some hoops, when he was upset about something. I was lost in thought when I heard my timer go off in the kitchen signifying that the cookies were done. I quickly finished up in the yard and the then went inside to take the cookies out. Once they cooled I grabbed a few and put them on a plate then went over to Troy's. He was still in his backyard when I came over so I went up and stood a few feet behind him. "Hey neighbor" I said in a sweet voice with a smile. "Oh. Hey Gabriella, what are you doing here?" he asked. "Oh. No reason really. I had baked some cookies and when I saw you out here I thought you might of wanted a small snack after such an intense workout" I said in playful voice. He let out a small chuckle as he looked down and rubbed the back of his neck with one of his hands, making his muscular arm flex from the movement. I couldn't help but bite my lip and look down myself. I found it so hot when he did that. Troy broke the silence. "Always thinking" he smiled and took a cookie. "Mmm very delicious and it's my favorite kind to, chocolate chip. Thanks Gabriella" "My pleasure. I'm glad you like them" I said looking up and smiling back. "Well I will just leave the rest of these over on your table on the deck. Have a good rest of the night." I turned and started to leave when I heard "Wait!" I turned back around to see Troy jogging my way. "Um do mind if we could talk Gabriella? I have a lot on my mind and feel like venting a bit. See if it helps you know? But I don't want to talk with my parents and my best friend Chad is not exactly good at giving advice or at understanding certain things." I stood in shock. Troy Bolton wanted to open up and talk to me about his problems? That is a first. "Gabriella?" I snapped out of my thoughts. "Oh…sorry…um yeah sure we can talk" I said. "Great! Um how about we go inside…it's getting kind of chilly out" Troy said. "That sounds good to me." I replied.

We headed inside and his parents greeted me as I greeted them and then Troy led me up to his room. His bedroom was actually quite big and colorful. His walls were all red and he had a white fluffy carpet under my feet. He had a king sized bed with red and white bed sheets as well as a flat screen TV, a small white couch, a red dresser up against the wall by his door, and a white desk in the corner by his closet with a red laptop and red chair. It was all decked out in our school colors. "Someone has major school spirit." I thought to myself, but I guess you have to if you are captain of the school's favorite sports team. "Do you mind if I take a quick shower? I won't be long, I promise." Troy asked. "Yeah sure go right ahead." I replied. "Cool. Make yourself at home." With that he headed to his bathroom, which was also in his room, and took a shower. As he showered I looked around his bedroom a little more. I noticed he had a Play Station 3 and a bunch of games, Call of Duty Black Ops 2 was one of them. "Hmm I wonder how good he is at zombies I thought to myself with a smile. I love killing zombies in Black Ops 2 and I got better at it each and every day. I continued to look around and saw some pictures, some were of family, others were of friends, and then some were of Sharpay. I rolled my eyes. I continued my tour and found myself at his window. It was a very big window and I noticed something I had never noticed before. You can see right across into my bedroom window as my window is just as big. I looked closer. "Yep that is most definitely my room." I said to myself. Wow how had I never noticed before? It's kind of creepy if you think about it. Good thing I have curtains. Just then as I was thinking I heard a door open and turned around to see Troy coming out of his bathroom dripping wet in nothing but a towel. Water dripped down his body and over his muscular arms and his amazing abs. My breathing started to pick up and I started feeling light headed all of a sudden. Next thing I know I fainted.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 4**

_Okay guys this is the last chapter for today. At least I got most of them up. I'll continue updating as I write more. Hope you enjoy! This chapter is a bit lengthy but a long chapter was needed. Well, read and review thanks!_

When I woke up I was lying in a huge bed, one much bigger than my own. As I opened my eyes I saw a blurry figure sitting beside me "Hey, you're awake" I heard a familiar voice say. As my vision cleared my thoughts were proven. "Troy?" he smiled, "How are you feeling?" I thought a moment. "Um..a little funny. What happened?" I asked "You fainted. I was a bit worried because it was so sudden. You fell and hit your head so I picked you up and put you onto my bed." He put a wash cloth in a bowl full of water, which was on his night stand, and then he put the cool rag on my head after ringing it out. "That would explain the headache" I let out a small laugh. "That feels nice by the way. Thank you Troy." "No problem" he replied. As I laid there, while Troy tended to my head, I started to remember why I was at his house in the first place and I remembered what had happened before I fainted. Troy had some basketball shorts on now but he was still shirtless. I couldn't help but steal a few glances at his body, which caused me to bite my lip. "You okay?" he asked. I looked up "Uh..yeah..so..um…what did you want to talk about?"

Troy looked at me in a confused way for a minute but then it dawned on him what I meant. "Oh." He took the cloth off my head and put it back in the water taking a deep breath. "It's about Sharpay." "Ah I thought so." I started to sit myself up but I got really light headed and dizzy. 'Whoa." I held my head in my hands and the next thing I know Troy's arms were around me. "Be careful. Here let me help you up." He lifted me up into the sitting position. When he started to pull away his eyes caught mine. My breath caught. "Wow…your eyes…they're…beautiful." I felt my face getting red. "Th..thanks." He started to lean in, as his face got closer my mind began to run wild. "Oh my god, is this really about to happen? Am I really about to be kissed by Troy Bolton?" As I was thinking about this I started to lean in as well. Our lips were just inches apart and I could feel his breath against my skin. I closed my eyes but right as our lips were about to touch I heard a voice. "Troy how is Gab…Oh.." I opened my eyes and saw Troy's mom at his door. Troy turned to face her. " She's doing well." He said. "That's good to hear. Can I get you anything else Gabriella?" She asked. "Um, no, I'm okay. Thanks though ." She nodded. "Very well then" She headed back downstairs. I took a deep breath then looked at Troy. "So..Sharpay?"

Troy rubbed the back of his neck again. "Right…her." He looked away. "Do you want to start by telling me what happened between you two tonight?" I said, trying to help him out a bit. He took a deep breath. "Sharpay did something to piss me off." I listen to him. "My aunt and uncle came over with my cousin Mike for dinner and the whole time he was there Sharpay was clearly flirting with him." "Why would Sharpay do that?" I thought. I mean they had been together for so long, and she supposedly loved him so why? "Well that's easy" I thought. She is a stuck up bitch that's why. "That's horrible" I said aloud. Troy got up and started pacing back and forth. "I know. I tried to ignore it, so to distract myself I texted some of my friends and watched some TV. She got mad at me and said 'I wasn't paying any attention to her' and that I never did. She said if I didn't care about her then I should just break up with her. That made me snap."

*Flashback* (Troy's POV)

** "Are you fucking kidding me right now?! Don't care about you?! If I didn't fucking care I would have never gotten together with you in the first place! And as far as for 'never pay attention to you'? That is complete and utter bull shit and you know it! I have done nothing BUT give you my undivided attention since the day we got together!" I punched my wall in anger, and then Sharpay shouted back. "Oh yeah?! Is that so?! Hmmm that's funny because there have been numerous times, including tonight, when you have done nothing but text your damn friends!" I just kept getting more heated. "Really Sharpay?! When have I ever done that with the exception of tonight and a couple of times when my friends NEEDED me?! Hmm? Tell me!" She couldn't answer me. I scoffed. "Exactly! And as for tonight? Maybe I wouldn't have texted my friends if you hadn't been flirting with my cousin!" She gasped. "How dare you! I'm leaving!" She grabbed her purse and started heading for the front door/ I followed. "You're just mad because you know it's true!" She got faster but I kept up just the same. "Mhm speed right up sweetheart! Keep on walking away just like you always do!" At that time we had just gotten outside. "You are such a fucking bastard Troy!" She yelled. "Oh yeah?! Well you are a fucking bitch Sharpay!" She gasped again, her face red with anger and tears welling in her eyes. "I hate you!" Hearing those words from her made my heart ache. I was angry that I quickly replied with "Go fuck yourself!" She started crying and that's when she heard her brother clear her throat and ran off to her parents.**

*End of Flashback*

Troy had started crying, I felt so bad. "Oh Troy come here." I waved him over and he came and sat beside me. I hugged him and then let him rest his head on my lap, "Shh Shh. It's okay, everything will be okay." I said as I ran my fingers through his hair, trying to comfort him. He lifted his head and looked at me, still crying, and said "It's not the first time she has flirted with another guy. She has done it multiple times and each time denies it or just turns things around on me. I don't understand why she does that. Do I not make her happy? Am I not a good boyfriend? I just don't understand. I can't take it much longer." He said with his voice full of pain. He started crying a lot harder and was shaking uncontrollably. "Troy..Troy you need to calm down. You're going to hyperventilate." I grabbed his hand and pulled him closer to me so I could hold him. "If she is causing you so much pain then maybe you should break up with her. I mean you said yourself that she flirts with other guys right?" "Yes" was all he replied in a broken voice. "That's not something a good girlfriend would do to her boyfriend and it's not something she would do if she truly cared" As I held Troy in my arms I felt him start to calm down. He looked up and I wiped some tears from his face. "You know...you're right. Maybe I should end it. This whole thing is not good for my mental health...or my basketball skills for that matter. We have been together for two and a half years. That's a decent time for a relationship but maybe it's time for it to end." I nodded. "Exactly. Maybe it's what is best. Besides, if it were truly meant to be then you two will get back together at some point." I kissed the top of his head. "Everything will be okay, I promise." Troy hugged me tight. "Thank you Gabriella. Thank you for all of your help tonight, It means a lot. How can I repay you?" He looked at me as he said that. I smiled and moved some hair from his eyes. "You don't have to repay me at all." He smiled and hugged me some more, then we sat in a comforting silence for a little while. About five minutes later I spoke again. "Any way, it's late, I should get home." I started to get up in order to leave and Troy helped me. "Oh by the way, thanks for helping me after I fainted." I smiled. "That can be your repayment." He let out a small chuckle. Then I said "Goodnight Troy." "Goodnight Gabriella." He kissed my cheek and I blushed. Then I went home.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 5**

_Okay here's the next chapter! _

_To Brie-Dixon and Ceciliaa93: I'm glad you two are enjoying the story thus far _

A few weeks had passed by. I hadn't really talked to Troy or gone back over to his house since the night he opened up to me about his feelings involving Sharpay. They never did end up breaking up though. It was also the night he and I almost kissed. I couldn't stop thinking about that. I came so close to feeling those lips of his. So, so, close. My thoughts were interrupted by the school's first bell signifying it was time for homeroom. I sighed then got the rest of my books from my locker and headed to homeroom. As I walked through the halls people threw things at me and laughed and called me names. The usual everyday treatment I get. I hate this school. As I walked into homeroom I couldn't help but notice Troy and Sharpay making out. "Oh Troy and to think we almost broke up" she went back to kissing him then he pulled away. "Mmm yeah baby I know" he continued kissing her. "God I Love you so much" Sharpay said. I couldn't help but laugh to myself which must have been louder than I thought because she turned to me. "Something funny Nerdella?" I stopped laughing as the rest of the class, including Troy, laughed. "No. But maybe you should get a room you two. No one wants to see that. It's disgusting." I headed back to my desk which was next to Ryan's who was already there. Before I got back there Sharpay spoke up again. "We can do as we please; we're superior to you, your nothing but a nerd. You're just jealous because you have no one to do this with; you have no one to call your own, no one to love. No one likes you; you're just an ugly, nerdy, weak, little girl that no one would ever want to call their own." The room went silent. My knees started to feel weak and I could feel the tears welling in my eyes. I felt like I was going to be sick. As I fell to the ground on my knees and began crying, Ryan rushed over to me and wrapped his arms around me as I cried into his chest. I could feel Sharpay looking at me with a smirk on that bitch's face. She had gotten to me, and I made the mistake of showing it and giving her that satisfaction. Everyone was looking at us, well me rather, and everyone started laughing at my pain. "Okay guys that's enough, and quit your staring, there is nothing to see here." Ryan said in a cold, stern voice. Then he picked me up bridal style and started carrying me out of the room. As we were leaving I noticed Troy looking at me with what I thought was concern. "What do you care?" I thought. "You were laughing with everyone else." I thought again. Then I saw Sharpay with her arms crossed in annoyance as her boyfriend kept looking at me instead of continuing their make out session. I buried my face in Ryan's shoulder so I couldn't see anymore. "Great." I thought. "Even more reason for her to hate me."

Ryan took me to the abandoned hallways of our school. The school had been remodeled recently and so these halls from the previous building were still here as the school was planning to do something with it at some point. It was halls of lockers and old classrooms which were separate from the newer ones so it was a good place to go if you wanted to skip a class or two. Ryan sat down with me still in his arms and held me until I calmed down and stopped crying. He didn't ask me a single question, just held me. Once I calmed down he asked "Better?" I nodded. "Better." He wiped some stray tears from my cheek with his thumb. "Do you want to talk about it?" I shook my head no. The truth was that I didn't know what had happened back there. I can usually handle Sharpay's bull shit and make a comeback but not today. Was it just a mess of mixed emotions? Had I just had enough after seeing the two of them? Was I jealous? And if I was jealous then why? I had already accepted the fact that Troy would never like me the way he liked Sharpay. So then why would I be jealous? Why would I even care for that matter? These questions ran through my head and I started to get a headache. "You're getting one of your headaches again." Ryan said in a concerned and matter-of-fact way. That boy could read me like a book. "Want me to take you home? I think it would help." I nodded. "Yes." "Okay let's go." He picked me back up and we left.

Ryan took me home and carried me up to my room putting me on my bed, "I'm going to go get your medication. Be right back." He kissed my forehead then went downstairs. Yes it's true, I do take a prescribed medication for headaches like these regardless of how small or big. The reason for this is quite simple actually. You see I have a neurological disorder that causes any headaches I get to become much worse in a very short amount of time which can be very dangerous. The disorder can also cause loss of consciousness, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and black outs. I've had this disorder for as long as I can remember. I've had multiple surgeries on my brain and I have special medication I must take. It has gotten worse over the years and could possibly cause me death someday. However, I try not to think about that. There is nothing we have found that can cure me of this, so for now we must only hope for the best. I have two medications, one of which helps keep my headaches from getting worse and helps the pain and discomfort of the headaches go away. The second medication helps with the other symptoms and keeps them from happening ahead of time or if they do happen the medication helps make them stop. So really the medications only prolong my life for the time being and help me live as comfortably as I can. Ryan is the only other person, besides my parents, who knows about my disorder and what can happen and what does happen.

After a couple of minutes Ryan came back up with a glass of water and my medication. "Thanks Ry." I took my pills and the glass of water and took my medicine. Then I took a deep breath and laid back down. Ryan pushed some hair from my eyes. "Can I get you anything else Gabs?" he asked. "No, I'm fine thanks." He smiled. "Okay." Then he played with my hair a bit. I enjoyed when he did that. Just then, in that moment, I got a sudden urge and the next thing I know my lips were against those lips of my best friend. I didn't even know why I wanted to do that but I did. Ryan's eyes widened in shock but after a minute he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around me kissing back. After several minutes of nonstop kissing we both pulled away for a breather. Our hearts were beating fast. "Wow." Ryan said. I myself was speechless. Then we started kissing again, our lips crashing against one another's hungry for more. After a little while longer Ryan pulled away, much to my dismay, as I was just dying for more. "This is amazing and all but I should get back to school. I have a few big tests I need to take today." "Okay." I said softly. Then he kissed me again. 'I'll come back over after school. I promise." He smiled, and with one last kiss he left. I just laid there. I was breathless, speechless, and my heart was pounding. "I can't believe I just made out with my best friend."


	6. Chapter 6

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 6**

_Hey guys so, something has come up and I may not be able to upload anymore chapters for the next two weeks until I get this whole thing figured out. However, if that does happen then I'll try my best to keep writing the chapters so when I can upload again I can just upload all the ones I finish. So sorry for the inconvenience I feel bad _

After Ryan left, I layed in bed for a while just thinking, and then decided to change into some comfier clothes so I could take a nap. It was pretty hot today so I decided I would change into my light blue, silky, V-neck, night dress, which came down to my mid-thigh, with white lace along the bottom and the top around my breasts. After all I was the only one home and I was going to be in my room so like it mattered what I wore, hell I could have just been naked if I wanted to. Anyway, I closed my curtains then got in bed and closed my eyes. I drifted off to sleep fairly quickly, I guess crying had made me a lot more tired than I expected.

While I was sleeping I started having a horrible dream. I had gotten one of my headaches and it was a really bad one. I started getting sick and my vision blurred as I moved in and out of consciousness about to black out. I needed my medication and immediately. I didn't know where I was but it was no place I had ever been before. In the background I heard an eerie laugh. I could recognize that laugh anywhere. It was my best friend's sister...Sharpay. I turned to the sound and sure enough there she was, and with something in her hands. "Looking for these?" I didn't know what she had meant until my vision cleared long enough for me to see. It was my medications. I reached out for them but then she threw them off in the distance. "No!" I shouted. She laughed some more. "Now what are you going to do? Nothing, that's what, now I won't have to worry about you getting in between Troy and I." She came over to me and bent down, "Enjoy your life, or at least what you have left of it". She pushed me back and left. My headache got worse and worse and I felt like my head was going to explode. I was in so much pain. I called out for Ryan, for my parents, for anyone who could help, but no one came. I was alone and was about to die.

I had a hard time waking up from that dream, I was terrified, and it was so realistic that I thought I would never wake up. That was until I heard a doorbell ringing. I quickly woke up from my slumber, sweating, and breathing hard from fear. I looked around to see where I was and to make sure I was really awake. Then I heard the doorbell ring again. I looked at my clock; school had just ended not that long ago. Could it be Ryan? Except Ryan wouldn't ring the doorbell, he wouldn't even knock; he would just come in since we were so close, if it's not him, then who? I got up and was a bit unbalanced so I waited to gain my balance back then went in my bathroom to throw some cool water on my face to wake me up some more and cool me off from sweating. I heard the bell ring again. "Ugh, okay, okay I heard you the first time!" I said to myself. I dabbed at my face to dry it off then went down and answered the door.

"Troy?" I said confused. "Hey Gabriella I just wanted to stop by and see…" he stopped mid-sentence and seemed to be staring at me, biting his lip and rubbing his neck. What was he staring at? I thought to myself. I felt my body and looked down. "Shit! I'm sorry I should have dressed in something a little more appropriately before answering the door." I forgot what I had been wearing. Troy appeared to be checking me out. "Uh...n-no it's okay it's just…w-wow. You look...w-wow." Well this is awkward, I thought to myself. "S-sorry…I shouldn't be staring like this." Troy said as he looked down and away. "Um...its fine…I guess. Anyway what are you doing here?" I said in an annoyed kind of way. I hadn't forgotten earlier when Troy was laughing with everyone else as his girlfriend embarrassed me and made me cry. He seemed taken aback by my tone. "Um…can't I come in?" He asked. I sighed. "Fine. Whatever." I opened the door some more and let him in. "Thanks." He said. "Mhm. Now again...What are you doing here?" I pushed. "I just wanted to stop by and see if you were okay. You never came back to homeroom, and then I only saw Ryan around school the rest of the day." I rolled my eyes. "Yeah I came home and didn't go back. Your girlfriend embarrassed me enough for one day. I needed a break. Besides, what the hell do you care anyway? You were laughing just as much as everyone else in that fucking classroom." Troy went to say something but then stopped and sighed. "I'm sorry." He mumbled, refusing to look at me. I scoffed. "Sure you are." He looked up at me. "Gabriella please…I am. I truly am sorry." He moved a little closer to me. I backed away. "If you were sorry then you wouldn't have done it in the first place. I was there for you when you needed someone to talk to. I was there to listen to you, to give you a shoulder to cry on, to do my best to calm you down and cheer you up. And in return you want to treat me like everyone else does. I should have never been there for you in the first place. My mistake." "No! Gabriella please believe me, please…" He was pleading as he came over to me and grabbed my hands. I pulled away "You know what your problem is? You care too much about what others think about you. You're not your own person you just do what everyone else does or wants you to do. You don't do what you want. You're nothing but a coward. Now please get out of my house." He looked hurt but I didn't really care at that point, as I was too fired up now. "Okay." He said in a barely audible voice as he left. I closed the door behind him and took a deep breath as I slid down against the door and sat there for a bit.

I didn't like hurting people but I was so fed up with always getting hurt. I was fed up with the cruel jokes and names. I was fed up with the ridicule and the constant laughter. I was just fed up. If it wasn't for Ryan then I'd just kill myself like I tried to do before. Just end it all. End all the pain, that's all I wanted. I started crying again. "Great." I mumbled to myself. I got up and went into the kitchen to get something to drink. As soon as I got in there I heard my door open. "Gabs? You here?" It was Ryan. "Yeah I'm here." I called back. He came into the kitchen. "Gabs are you okay? Why are you crying?" He hurried over to me and wiped some tears from my face and started hugging me. I cried in his chest for the second time today. "Oh Ryan I'm just so done. I can't deal with this crap anymore; I just want to put an end to it. I just want to disappear." He tightened his arms around me when I said that. "Shh. Gabs please don't talk like that." I cried some more. "I'm sorry Ry but I just don't know what to do anymore." He rubbed his hand down my hair. "You will get through this Gab…no…we will get through this. I will help you every step of the way and be right here by your side. Together we will get past this." I started to calm down a bit and looked up at him, "Promise?" I said in a soft voice. "I promise you. Cross my heart and hope to die." He hugged me even tighter and kissed my forehead. "I won't let you do this alone. I refuse to." I kissed his cheek. "Thank you Ry, I love you." "I love you too gabs."

After I had calmed down completely Ryan and I got some snacks together and then went out in the living room and watched some movies until we had to get Isabella. As we watched the movies something popped in my head. "Oh…Ryan?" I asked quietly. "Yes Gabs?" I played with my hair in embarrassment "About earlier I…" He held his hand up to stop me. "You don't have to say anything Gabs I already know." He smiled. "You do?" I asked kind of confused. "Yes. You were an emotional wreck earlier and you weren't thinking straight. You just did something you felt you needed to do at that point in time because of how you were feeling." I was speechless. He got it right on point. What the hell did I tell you? That boy can read me like a god damn book. "Don't worry about it Gabs, I understand, no hard feelings, and that won't change anything between us I promise." I smiled and then hugged him tight. "You're the most amazing person I know." He blushed, and I giggled. "Oh look, am I making Mr. Evans blush?" I giggled again. He playfully nudged me. "Shut up." He smiled and I smiled back then we went back to our movies.

A few weeks went by, I started going to counseling again and Ryan always came with me to my appointments. I was put on some anti-depressants, which Ryan made sure I took every single day and reminded me when I forgot. He was there for everything I went through in the process of getting better, just like he said he would be. Never once had he ever left my side or left me during my darkest times since we had become friends. He was always there. Always helping and always doing whatever he could to make me better. I couldn't ask for a more amazing best friend. I don't know what I would do without him…but of course I didn't want to think of the possibilities of that. After all, besides my parents and my sister, he was all I had.

One day Ryan and I had gone out to lunch. We got back to school a bit late and Ryan was missing a huge lab in his physics class so he had to rush off to class. I on the other hand had a free period so I decided to go to the fitness center and work out. When I finished I took a quick shower in the girl's locker room and changed back into my school clothes. There wasn't a gym class this period and the gym was right across from my next period class so I decided to go through the gymnasium to class. As I was walking through I heard some noises coming from behind the bleachers. I was curious as always and went to look. I made sure to be quiet so I could see what was going on without getting caught by whoever it was. As I made my way over I stood off to the side and looked through the cracks so I wouldn't be seen. I was shocked at what I saw. It was Sharpay in such a heated make out session with some guy that it looked as if they were about to have sex. I gasped but covered my mouth right after as it was a little loud. They looked my way but I ducked out of view just in time. Once they didn't see anything they went back to what they were doing. A smirk played over my face. I grabbed my phone out. "Bother me one more time Sharpay and it will be all hell for you." I thought to myself as I got my camera on my phone ready and switched it to video. I slowly placed my phone so it was out of view but also caught everything the two of them were doing. I snickered quietly to myself. "Oh Josh you drive me crazy." Sharpay moaned. "Mmm yeah I know baby, I fucking better." Sharpay let out a loud moan after that. He had bit her neck. "He must have hit her sweet spot." I thought. "Let's have sex right here and right now, I want you to fuck me so hard." Sharpay said. "You got it." He started undressing her. "Ooooookay, and that is where I stop. I'm not going to embarrass her that bad. No one else needs to see what's under her clothes." I whispered to myself. I grabbed my phone and stopped the recording. I got 10 minutes of footage. "Perfect." I said as I rushed off to class.

_Oh snap! Now Gabriella has something grimy on Sharpay. Will she tell Troy in private? Or will she post it for the whole school to see, including Troy? I wonder what will happen next. ;) Haha anyway, I am very pleased with this chapter, it turned out better than I expected considering I was kind of struggling with it. Well that's it! R&R! _


	7. Chapter 7

**The Guy Next Door **

**Chapter 7**

_Hey guys! Okay so I was luckily able to get on real quick today because my mom needed me to do something so here are the next two chapters! Enjoy!_

Two weeks had passed, I still had the video on my phone and had it locked so no one could erase it if they found it. I hadn't told Troy, I never planned to. Why should I help him again when he is STILL picking on me with the rest of his "posse"? After he already apologized? That's how I knew he was lying, otherwise he would have stopped. I guess his ego and his reputation is still more important. He doesn't deserve to know. "Yes he does." A voice in the back of my head said. "Oh not you again!" I thought back. For the last two weeks this voice argued with me back and forth and made me feel guilty for not telling him. I had no reason to feel guilty though. Besides I'm sure he will find out soon enough weather it's from me or not. I've seen Sharpay and that Josh guy together multiple times since then. Each time they were together they were in a more public place than the last. They're getting sloppy if you ask me. It's like she wants him to catch her, yet at the same time she is still all over him and playing the innocent girlfriend she is clearly not.

Today was the start of the second half of the year which meant I needed to take health. I had health 4th period which was all the way on the other side of the building and up two floors from my 3rd period class so I had to rush to get there and barely made it in time. Right when I walked into class the bell rang and the teacher came in. "Alright. Hello everyone, I'm Mrs. Breward and I will be your health teacher for the rest of the year. If you would please all take a seat so we can get started I would gladly appreciate it." Everyone started to sit down. I found an empty couple of chairs and went over and sat in one leaving the other one empty as everyone else sat with their friends. A few minutes after the bell, Troy came dashing in. "Ah Mr. Bolton, how nice of you o finally join us." Mrs. Breward said. "Yeah…sorry I'm late Mrs…" He looked at her to finish her name for him. She rolled her eyes. "Breward." He nodded. "Mrs. Breward." "Yes well please take a seat, it appears the only available one is next to Miss. Montez." My head shot up and Troy's eyes met mine. I quickly looked away brushing some hair out of my face. It appeared Troy had been making out with his oh so lovely girlfriend which was why he was late. His hair was messy, his shirt a bit roughed up, the little bit of leftover lipstick on his neck. Yep he defiantly made out with her before class. He came over and sat next to me and Mrs. Breward continued her welcoming lecture. "Have a nice make out session with your girlfriend?" I said harshly. He rolled his eyes. "Hello to you to. How the hell could you even tell that's what I was doing?" He asked. "It's not that hard to figure out." I said with an attitude. "Oh right I forgot, you're a nerd, you can do that kind of stuff." I twitched in anger and glared at him. "Oooo does that make you mad?" He teased. I clenched my fists. "Just shut up and listen to the teacher." I snapped. "Fine." He listened and did exactly what I said. I took a deep breath to relax myself then turned my attention back to the teacher as well. "Now's your chance! Tell him about Sharpay! This is the only time you can get him alone!" That voice in my head started again. "Shut up." I snapped back at it in my thoughts. "He deserves to know." The voice snapped back. I tried ignoring it but after a few minutes sighed and gave in. Curse my fucking niceness. "Troy?" I asked. "What is it?" He replied. "There is something I need to tell you." He laughed "Don't worry, apology accepted." How dare he assume what I was going to say. I clenched my fists again. "Do it." The voice shouted at me. I calmed myself down once again. "No. I wasn't apologizing. It's something else." I managed to say in as calm of a voice as possible considering my anger. "Okay then shoot." He responded. I took a deep breath closing my eyes as I exhaled, then opened them again. "Sharpay is cheating on you." He gave a small laugh but it was an unsure, confused kind of laugh. "What?" "Sharpay is cheating on you with some guy named Josh. I had gone to the fitness center for my free period a couple of weeks ago and afterwards I showered and then headed through the gym to my next class after I had changed back into my school clothes. As I was walking I heard some noises and I wasn't sure what they were so I investigated. I followed the noises to one of the bleachers and behind them I saw Sharpay making out with this guy, moaning and saying his name. I wasn't going to tell you, I was going to let you find out for yourself, for my own reasons, but I didn't feel right keeping something like that from you. After all..." I clenched my teeth not believing what I was about to say. "You deserve to know." I managed to get it out. Finally. "What? No you're lying." He said, clearly a bit upset. "Troy why the hell would I lie about something like that?" I said. "I don't know because you're a lying, jealous, bitch?" His words cut me like a knife, as my anger enflamed once more but I was able to remain calm. "Fine. Don't believe me then. Suit yourself." I said coldly. After that we didn't talk the rest of the period and it took every bit of my being not to smack him across the face.

It was lunchtime after 4th and I was writing an essay for English class while eating because I wanted to get it done. Ryan was sick and wasn't in school so I was by myself at a table. I saw everyone else coming in and out with their friends, all the couples, and everything while I was by myself. I sighed, and then got back to writing. After 10 more minutes I finished. "Phew. Finally done." I started to pick up my stuff when I heard a voice. "Well, well, well, look what we have here. It's our precious nerdella doing what she does best…being the biggest geek in this entire school, how sweet." Sharpay said in a stuck up snotty tone. I rolled my eyes and clenched my fists as everyone in her group started laughing at me and calling me names once again. . "I'm warning you Sharpay…I wouldn't." "Oh. How sweet, is our little nerd threatening me? Don't make me laugh, like you could do anything to me." She scoffed. I smirked. "Don't underestimate what the so called nerd can do." She looked at me confused. Figures. Stupid blonde. I typed a few things on my phone and next the cafeterias huge screen came down, and the video I've had on my phone for the last two weeks played. Everyone turned to look. Sharpay was the last. "No…no…" She whispered as she covered her mouth in horror. "I finally got you Sharpay." I thought as I smiled.

Troy turned to Sharpay and yelled. "What the fuck is this Sharpay?!" She went over to him and put her hands on his chest. "Troy…Troy it's not what it looks like…" He pushed her hands away. "What? You mean to tell me this isn't you asking another guy to fuck you?! Its right here, right in this god damn video, clear as day!" "That's…that's not me...I swear…" She tried to say. "Really?! Because it sure as hell looks like you!" She started to cry. "Troy I'm sorry…please…" He scoffed and shook his head. "Just save it Sharpay! Flirting with other guys is one thing and I've let that go several times for you…but this? This is completely different, this is not only asking another guy for sex but this is straight up cheating! Look it! You're all over that god damn guy!" "Troy please!" She begged. "No, I'm done, I'm not going to sit back and let you do this shit anymore! We're through! Now you can have all the sex in the world with whoever that Josh guy is in the fucking video!" He stormed out of the cafeteria as everyone stood in silence and shock not knowing what to make of the video or what had just transpired. Sharpay fell to her knees in tears and all her fellow cheerleaders surrounded her. Looks like my work here is done I thought as I walked out of the cafeteria with a huge smile on my face and my head held high.

_Looks like Gabriella finally got her revenge on Sharpay huh? What will happen next? I guess you will just have to wait and see ;) R&R please! _


	8. Chapter 8

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 8**

After lunch I went to my next class, which was another new class for the second half of the year. It was child development, something I had wanted to take since I started high school but I hadn't gotten the chance, and I wanted to take as little classes as possible next year for my senior year so I had to take it this year. It was still a bit early so when I got to class there was only one other person there. Troy. So I must have another class with him then. I went in and took a seat at one of the front tables. Troy was at a table in the back on the other side of the room. I got seated and got my things situated and then I felt someone come up beside me. "Gabriella?" I looked over, it was Troy. "What Troy?" He sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not believing you when you told me about Sharpay. I'm sorry I called you a bitch. I'm so sorry. I just…I guess I knew but I didn't want to believe it. I guess I just hoped she wouldn't be that way. But I was wrong." He sounded sincere. "I understand. But that's not the only time you have done something to me; you still pick on me with everyone else." I said calmly. "I…I know but that's something I can't stop…I know you won't understand but..." I cut him off. "You're right, I don't understand. Is your popularity that important to you?" He went to say something but stopped. "I guess so." I said. The bell rang and the other students started to come in. Troy stayed sitting with me at the table. I didn't talk to him though, and he didn't talk to me. For the rest of class he just looked to the front of the room but didn't pay attention, he seemed to be distracted by something.

Over the course of the next month Troy was constantly bombarded with questions revolving around his and Sharpay's relationship status. Everyone constantly asked if they had talked since then, if they were going to get back together, if they were working through it, if they were friends. Just one question, after the other, without a break. I could tell he would get annoyed by it and that being reminded of it still hurt, that he just wanted the questions to stop. He still had to be around her every day as the cheerleaders and the basketball team always sat with each other at lunch. One day, at lunch, Troy looked like he was going to break down. As much as I hated him at this present time I still didn't like seeing him suffer. I guess I'm just too nice of a person, maybe too caring, or maybe I'm just crazy but after one more question I sprung up from my seat and headed over to the popular kids' table. "Gabs where are you going?" Ryan asked. "To talk to them." I replied. I went over. "Hey guys knock it off with the questions." Troy looked up from his food over at me. He looked absolutely miserable. I felt bad for him. "Can't you see that Troy clearly doesn't want to answer? Can't you see how much they bother him?" "Oh shut up Geek" one of the basketball players said. "Yeah no one cares about what you have to say" a cheerleader said. "If it bothers him so much then Troy can speak for himself" Another basketball player said. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe he doesn't want to say anything? That maybe he is just hoping you will stop without him having to say anything?" I said coldly. "Go away nerd!" Two of the basketball players got up and pushed me down, and then some of the cheerleaders dumped their food on me. "Oops sorry" they said in unison, clearly being sarcastic as they giggled and went back to the other cheerleaders. I started to get up when I was pushed down again, this time hitting my head on the tile floor of the cafeteria. "Ow" I immediately got a bad headache. "Shit!" I thought. I can't go home and get my medicine either; lunch is too close to being over. What am I going to do? "Hey! Leave her the hell alone!" I heard Troy shout as he got up and pushed back the guys who kept pushing me. "What the fuck dude? Are you seriously sticking up for that nerd?" Troy grabbed the guy's collar and in a cold, stern voice he said "Don't call her that!" I was shocked at what I was seeing. For once, Troy was finally sticking up for me. I never thought I would see this day. "Okay, okay, bro chill I'll stop j-just put me down will you?" the guy said. Troy roughly put him back down then came over and bent down beside me. "Are you alright Gabriella? I saw you hit your head…" He said in a worried way. I could barely hear him; my headache was getting worse by the second. My vision became blurry, my head started spinning, and my hearing was going in and out. I tried to speak but nothing came out. Next thing I knew, I blacked out.

I woke up in a hospital, with IV's in both of my arms, a heart monitor hooked up to me, and not having any idea what had happened. I looked around, my vision was blurry but started clearing up, I felt something warm in my hand and then I realized it was being held. As my vision cleared I looked up from the hand that was holding mine. "Gabriella? You're awake!" I got hugged real tight. Who was this? I looked at the person confused. They looked familiar but I couldn't come up with a name. "Gabriella? Do you not know who I am?" The person asked. I shook my head. "Oh…I see" A doctor came in, my doctor specifically, I had come to the hospital so many times that I had my own personal doctor for my disorder and the problems that came with it. "Ah Miss. Montez you're awake" "Y-yes" I managed to say. "U-um doc, can I speak with you for a minute please?" The person who had been holding my hand went over by the door with the doctor and I heard them talking. "Sir, she doesn't know who I am, is that normal for something like this?" The doc answered him. "Yes it's quite normal for her condition." The person looked confused. "Her condition?" "Ah yes, that is something you will have to ask her when she regains her memory. I'm not at liberty to talk about it without her given consent." The person nodded. "Okay, I understand." The doctor came back over to me and asked me a few questions then took my vitals, after which he left.

The person who had been holding my hand earlier came back over to me. "How are you feeling?" as I listened more closely I could tell that the person's voice sounded like a male. So it was a guy I know. "Um…okay I guess, but my head hurts and I'm kind of hungry and thirsty." I replied. "Would you like me to order you some food?" He asked. I nodded. "Yes please." He smiled at me, his smile was beautiful, and had some sort of effect on me; it gave me shivers and made me blush and smile as well. "Okay then what would you like?" I thought for a moment. "I would like a chicken salad with Italian and ranch dressing and a vanilla milkshake." He chuckled. "You got it." He ordered for me. As he ordered I thought to myself, I know him, I know that I know him and very well to, but just WHO exactly is he? I pondered this a while before his voice broke through my thoughts. "Gabriella? Are you okay?" I snapped out of it. "U-um…y-yes…fine." "Okay just making sure." He sat beside me and there was a bit of silence for a few minutes. "I'm sorry." I said. He looked at me confused. "I'm sorry I don't know who you are. I mean I know you but I don't KNOW you. I remember you, you look familiar, very familiar in fact but I just don't know your name. I can't think of it or what your relationship to me is or how I know you." He moved some hair from my eyes. "Shh, it's okay. Would you like me to tell you my name?" I nodded slowly. "Okay then. I'm Troy, Troy Bolton. I'm your next door neighbor." At that moment a bunch of pictures flashed through my head and memories. When they finished I gasped. "Troy? Is it really you?" I asked. I couldn't imagine why Troy would be at the hospital with me; wouldn't it ruin his rep at school if our classmates found out? He let out a deep breath as if he had been holding it all this time. He sounded relieved but why? "So you do remember me?" He asked in a hopeful way. I nodded. "Yes of course." He smiled once more. "I'm so glad to hear that." "How long have I been out?" I asked. "About three and half weeks." Troy responded. "Oh my god that long? It's never been that bad before." He looked at me in wonder. "What are you talking about?" "Oh um...n-nothing…it's nothing." There was silence for a bit. "Troy can I ask you something?" "Yes, anything, what is it?" I took a deep breath. "Why are you here?" He looked taken aback by my words. "I mean wouldn't your rep at school be destroyed if our classmates found out you were at the geek's bedside while she was in the hospital?" He cringed. "Please don't call yourself that." He said. "But…why? It's true. I am." I looked down but he lifted my chin up so our eyes met and I was looking at him. "No you're not. You're an intelligent, beautiful, young woman who has a heart of gold even when someone has wronged her, on more than one occasion." As he said this last part he dropped his hand and looked down. "Troy?" "Gabriella, you were right." He said in a soft voice. "What?" I asked. "You were right, about me, I mean. I cared too much about my reputation, my popularity. I did what everyone else did just so I wouldn't seem like an outsider, just so I wouldn't seem like a loser. I felt like I had to keep this façade up of who everyone else wanted me to be instead of being who I want to be." He looked up. "Except then you came into my life, and you helped me see what I was trying to ignore. You helped open my eyes to the truth. It all started that night you came to my house and you held me while I cried and you told me everything was going to be alright. You made me realize then the mistakes I was making but I didn't want to believe it, so I started joining in more with everyone else when they picked on you and ridiculed you. I was such an asshole, and so stupid. And then the day you snapped at me in class, I knew you were right, and I knew I couldn't keep ignoring it. When you stood up for me in the cafeteria, I couldn't believe it. After all I put you through; you still came and tried to help. I tried fighting it once more but as soon as they started pushing you and picking on you again I snapped. I don't want to be that guy you accused me of being, I want to be the guy I was meant to be and hopefully a guy you can let into your life. You've helped me more than you know and because of that I don't want to have a life that doesn't include you." Tears started to well in my eyes. "I know I don't deserve your friendship and I know I don't deserve your forgiveness but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me." I started crying. "Yes! Yes of course I can forgive you Troy!" I hugged him tight, he was taken off guard and a bit shocked but after a minute he hugged me back even tighter and whispered in my ear…"Thank you."


	9. Chapter 9

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 9**

_Okay so here are the next three chapters, sorry I haven't been able to update so much, I should be able to upload daily again by the end of the week, I'm hoping at least. Well enjoy!_

After our little moment Troy and I chatted a while until my food came. It was nice; this was the Troy I knew, the Troy I had liked for the past five years. It was nice to have him back. I had missed him dearly. I smiled as I thought this and then without thinking I said "Welcome back Troy." He looked at me a bit confused but smiled a bit. "What do you mean?" I bit my lip not knowing what to say. "Um…I just meant…uh…crap!" I sighed and looked down embarrassed. He put his hand on my shoulder. "Hey it's okay." I looked up and gave him a small smile. "I just missed this Troy, the Troy that is sweet and funny and who I can talk to and never get bored. The Troy I can enjoy myself around. The Troy that is nice to me." He looked at me and after a minute smiled and hugged me. I let out a deep breath and hugged him back. "Well I'm glad to be back, and I promise you I will never go away again." He kissed my forehead which made me blush.

Shortly after our little talk my food came and Troy helped me eat since it was a bit difficult with all the things I was hooked up to. It was very sweet and since it was so hot I shared my milkshake with him, "Mmm yummy." He said with a smile after taking a sip of the milkshake. I giggled. "Told you!" I stuck my tongue out at him and he chuckled. "You're too cute." He rubbed my cheek with his thumb and I blushed, as he placed his whole hand on my cheek and I pushed my cheek into his hand closing my eyes. I loved his touch, it made me feel so warm and fuzzy on the inside. When I opened my eyes they locked with Troy's and he started leaning in as I did the same after a minute. We were about to kiss when his phone when off and ruined it. Troy cursed under his breath and I couldn't help but giggle to myself. "Hang on, I'll be right back." He said then he went out in the hall. I could hear him from inside of my room though. "Sharpay what the hell do you want? I told you to stop calling me and to leave me alone. I want nothing to do with you." There was a pause then he started speaking again. "What do you mean us? There is no us, not anymore. You ruined that when you decided you wanted to fuck another guy. I'm done. I told you this multiple times. I'm done with the lies, with the flirting and the cheating. I'm fed up. Leave me alone." He hung up and came back inside. "Sorry about that." I shook my head. "No it's okay." "Okay." He said. "Was that Sharpay?" I asked. He sighed. "Yes. She's been calling me non-stop since we broke up, begging me to take her back and to forgive her. I've told her multiple times to leave me alone but she just doesn't listen." I put my hand on his. "I'm sorry." He gave me a small smile and squeezed my hand. "Don't be." I smiled and then hugged him. Troy broke the embrace. "So Gabriella?" He asked. "Yes Troy?" "Now I have a question." I looked at him curious as to what his question would be. "Okay, ask away then." I said. He took a deep breath. "Earlier when I was talking to the doctor he mentioned something about your 'condition'…What did he mean?" Ah I had forgotten about that. "Well I suppose I can tell you, but I'm just letting you know that only Ryan and my parents no of my condition. So by telling you I'm trusting you…a lot. So in return I'm going to ask you don't take my trust for granted." I said in a serious tone. "Yes of course, I won't, I promise." He squeezed my hand in reassurance. I took a deep breath. "Okay. I have a neurological disorder. This disorder I have causes any headache I get or head injury I get to become a lot worse than what it is. It also causes nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and obviously as you know now, black outs. I've had multiple surgeries on my brain because of the disorder and the doctors have yet to figure out what is really wrong so until they do I have two special medications I have to take, one which helps with the headaches, and another which helps with the other symptoms, they also help prolong…my life." He looked at me with a worried look. "Y-your life?" I nodded. "Yes. If I don't get my medicine when I need it then I could possibly die, if the disorder gets worse, which it has been getting worse over the years, then that could also result in death." He shook his head. "No…no…t-that can't be true." He said in denial. I nodded. "I'm afraid it is." He looked at me and was speechless for a long time. "T-troy?" He snapped out of whatever state of mind he was in. "I'm s-sorry. That is just…I can't believe it. So then at school the day you blacked out after hitting your head you could have…you could have died?" "Yes." I said softly. "Oh god Gabriella I'm so sorry. I should have stepped in earlier and then you would have never hit your head…oh god…you could have died." He started trembling. "Troy…Troy its okay, I didn't, I'm here now are I not?" "But you could have." He said in a stern voice. "Y-yes." "And it would have been my fault." He said even softer. "No! Troy don't you dare think like that! It wouldn't have been your fault it would have been those other guys fault!" "But if I had just stepped in earlier then…" I cut him off by putting my finger to his lip. "Don't you dare say another word. It wouldn't have been your fault. You have to believe me." He nodded. "Okay." Then he hugged me extremely tight "But I'm still so sorry ella" That was the first time he called me by the nickname that only my little sister had ever called me. Yet it sounded so amazing when he said it and sent shivers up my spine.

A few weeks had gone by. I had gotten out of the hospital a week after I woke up. In that short time Troy and I had gotten really close and had become great friends. We hung out a couple times a week and we constantly texted and would talk on the phone every now and then. He even started sitting with Ryan and I at lunch regardless of what his friends thought. I was so happy. I couldn't believe how much my luck had changed in such short a time frame. We had learned each other's birthdays…well rather Troy learned my birthday since I had known his for years now, and we learned each other's like and dislikes and hobbies other than the obvious ones. We knew almost everything about one another and I couldn't help but fall for him more and more each day, he was just perfect to me.

One day, after lunch in 6th period Troy and I were chatting until our teacher Mrs. Jordan came in. "Alright class please quiet down. Now before I go any further we will have someone else joining our class. Miss. Evans who appears to be late" Right after she said that sure enough Sharpay came in. "Shit." Troy said. "Why the hell does she have to be in here? What is she doing, stalking me now?" I shrugged. "Probably." We both let out a small, quiet laugh. "Hey everyone, sorry I'm late" She said, obviously not sorry. "Ah Miss. Evans I was just talking about you. Please take your seat" Sharpay did so and luckily did not sit near Troy and I. "Okay class now back to business. You will be starting a project this Friday. It will go for the whole week that you have off for spring break, instead of the usual weekend that some teachers do. Can anyone guess what that project is?" The whole class groaned and Mrs. Jordan smiled. "That's right; it's the mechanical baby project. Except instead of you guys each getting one individually, you will be partnered up with someone of my choosing. Now as partners you can work out your game plan amongst yourselves but you can either separate the time with the baby amongst the two of you or you guys can live together for a week or just spend a set amount of time a day with one another while having the baby. But you both will need to have at least two nights with the baby, you both must know how to change the baby's diaper, feed it, put it to sleep, and give it attention. The baby will have a device on it that will let me know how well you are doing at taking care of the baby so if you neglect it, treat it wrong, or anything else then I will know and you will fail. However, I advise you do your best with this project because it is a huge part of your grade for the marking period. You will do it again during the 4 the fourth marking period and again it will count a lot. So start thinking of what you may have you and whoever your partner is do. I will give you five minutes and then tell you who you will be partnering up with. Ready? Go." The whole class went silent. "I wonder who our partners will be." Troy whispered. "Yeah me too, hopefully someone we can handle and get along with" I whispered back. "Agreed." After five minutes Mrs. Jordan spoke up again. "Okay class times up. I will start telling you your partners now." She began and a few people were happy with their partners but others were not. "Troy and Sharpay you will be partners. Gabriella you and Jared" Troy clenched his fists, I rubbed his back. "Hey relax; I'm sure it won't be that bad." I said trying to relax him. "No. You're wrong. It will be horrible." Mrs. Jordan spoke again. "Now go get with your partners and start discussing what you will do. I sighed. "Sorry Troy." Then got up and went over to Jared. I saw Troy go up to the teacher. "Mrs. Jordan can I have a moment of your time please?" He said. "Yes, what is it Troy?" She asked calmly. "I cannot work with Sharpay, it's impossible, I won't be able to get along with her and I will most likely fight with her more than anything and I actually want to do well on this project so could you please give me a new partner?" She pondered for a minute, the said "Okay, have anyone in mind?" He smiled. "Gabriella" She nodded. "Very well then. Um Gabriella?" I went up to them. "Yes Mrs. Jordan?" I asked, pretending like I hadn't heard. "Would you mind working with Troy on this project?" I smiled. "No, not at all." "Good. Sharpay! Jared! You two will be partners instead." I heard Sharpay let out an annoyed groan and couldn't help but laugh a little. Then Troy and I went back to our seats. "So partner, what's the plan?" Troy asked with a smile and a wink. I laughed.

_That's it for this chapter! So what do you think? What will Gabriella and Troy decide on doing for their project? Splitting the time or living together? Keep reading to find out! ;) R&R please! _


	10. Chapter 10

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 10**

_Wow ten chapters! Ha-ha! I'm having so much fun writing this! I really am! I hope you are ell enjoying it!_

"Hmm how about we ask our parents what they think would should do deal?" I asked. "Deal." Troy said in response. "Good." I smiled. The rest of the school day went by fast, after school Troy and I went home together and got our parents together, as they all had the day off today. "So mom and dad, Mr. and Mrs. Bolton, Troy and I need some advice." Our parents looked at each other with a suspicion." "Okay….and what is it you two need advice on?" My mother asked. "Well you see there is this project at school…" Both of our parents sighed in relief. "What did you guys think we needed advice on?" Troy asked, raising an eyebrow. I nodded in agreement, and then we both look at our parents. "That doesn't matter son, any way continue Gabriella." Troy's dad said. We shrugged it off and I continued. "It's for our child development class, at the end this week; we are being given a mechanical baby that we need to care for during the spring break. We must feed it, change its diaper, put it to sleep and give it as much attention as possible. There will be a device on the baby which will send reports to our teacher about how we are doing." "Alright, then what is the advice you want?" My dad asked. "Let me finish please. Our teacher said we have to do this as partners so we wither can live together for the week or just take turns with the baby and meet up during the project. Which do you think would be better?" I finished. Our parents mumbled against each other discussing it, but in a way so Troy and I couldn't hear. Troy's mom was the one to speak next. "Well we discussed it and we all think it would be best to live together for that week." Troy and I were about to respond when his mom put a hand up to stop us. "However, we think this should be a full learning experience…" Troy and I exchanged confused glances. "You two will go live the apartment we own…" I forgot that Troy's parents were rich so they owned a lot of property. "The people who last live there moved out and before renting it out again we wanted to remodel it which we just recently finished so everything is brand new and no one lives in the upstairs apartment either as we are about to remodel that one as well. This way you two will learn everything in this week project of yours. You will learn what it is like to have family, your own place to live which you have to keep tidy and stocked with food, it will also help teach you a grand amount of responsibility. The downstairs apartment is the biggest, and with the remodeling we did there is also now an extra room which you guys can turn into a nursery for the time being." My mom stepped in the explanation. "Also we still have Isabella's old crib and diaper changing station so we can give you that since it's still in good shape but you will also have to restock those as well. You will get the full experience of having a baby." Our moms nodded and smiled at one another. Troy and I just sat there in silence not believing what we had just heard.

After we thought about it for an hour Troy and I agreed to what our parents said and they told us to pack our things and get to the apartment so we could get it all set up before we get the baby on Friday. It was Tuesday so that gave us two and half days to set up. We packed our things then went over to the apartment which was actually on one of the nice sides of town in a very safe neighborhood. My parents brought over the stuff for the nursery and Troy's parents gave Troy some money to help get us started. Then our parents left, not to be seen again until our project was over. "This is going to be interesting." I thought.

The apartment was actually very nice and a very good size to, it was big enough to be a small house. You wouldn't even believe it's an apartment once you saw it. The new renovations were amazing as well. IN order to get into the apartment you had to go through one door and through a nice little closed in porch which had a swinging chair that could seat about three off to the right and to your left were two regular porch chairs with cushions and a table in front of them. Then you went through the second dorr which brought you into the house. There was a small rectangular tile patch where you could leave your shoes and hang up coats, then you immediately stepped onto a very soft and thick carpet that was a nice tan color which was where the living room was set up off to your left as you had a beautiful marble fire place to your right and a couple of chairs in front of it with a small side table in between them. The marble of the fireplace was a crème color with some light brown specks throughout it. In the living room there was a black leather sectional couch which had a huge place to the left of it where you could lay down or just sit up and put your feet up with regular sized seating from there around to the right side. There was a total of nine seating places (which included the big seat) with two cup holders after the big section, and then two cup holders after every three seats, for the last two seats there was two cup holders after the last place. There were also some nice decorative pillows which were the same crème color as the fire place and a black trim around it with tassels on all four corners. There were about two of those pillows sat up in the big section of the couch, two at each of the two corners. So the sectional was like an E but instead of the middle line there would be a line coming down from the end of the top line of the E, the end that is not the corner. It was pretty big. Then there was a crème colored coffee table that had glass as its top part, and huge flat screen television in front of the coffee table on the wall. The walls in the room were like a pale shade of yellow which was very subtle and gave the room a cozy feeling. As you went straight ahead you went into the dining room which, to the right, had a nice cherry wood floor, with a chair wood table and black leather cushioned chairs that had metal legs and nice cherry red table cloth on the table. To the left there was a desk in the corner with a computer and a black spinning chair. As you continued forward you went into the kitchen which had a black tiled floor, with dark brown, black marble topped counters, dark brown cupboards, a stainless steel fridge, stove, sink and dish washer. The counters were all connected in the same shape as the couch. It was beautiful. As you continued back you were in a small laundry room that had a black washer and dryer, one of the connected ones with the washer on bottom and dryer on top, and white tiled floor. There was also a door to the backyard in there as well. Back in the living room, to the left of the fire place with the same carpeting was a hallway that led to the bedrooms and bathroom. There was a bathroom at the end of the hall which had light blue walls and a sand colored tiling. The toilet, sink, and shower/bathtub were all white and the shower/bathtub had a shower curtain which was light blue and at the bottom had a sand picture with starfish and beach toys in it. I guess it had a beach theme, but I loved it, it was very calming. There was a mirror above the sink with two small lights on either side of it and then one light in the middle of the white ceiling above. To the right and left of the bathroom were the master bedroom and the spare bedroom which in our case would be used as a nursery. The nursery had white carpeting with the same texture as the carpet in the hallway and living area. The walls were a light pinkish, purplish color which had a ceiling fan as the lighting for the room. It had no furniture until we put the baby stuff in it. As for the master bedroom there was another whit carpet with the same texture as the others, and lavender colored walls. There was a king sized bed with a light grey bed frame which had a cushioned headboard and white bed sheets with a periwinkle colored comforter and pillow cases over the pillows. There were light grey night stands on both sides of the bed which had two white drawers each that had dark brown nobs. On each night stand were black lamps. There were also a few lights around the ceiling of the room, about two on each side. There was a dresser against the wall in front of the bed which matched the look of the night stands. There were about six drawers on each side of it and above it was another flat screen hanging on the wall. To the right of the dresser and TV was the master bath. Inside was a white tiled floor with a long dark brown bathroom cabinet which had the same black marble top as the cabinets in the kitchen did. There was a white round sink on either side of the cabinet with two spaces in between to put our things. Above it was a mirror which took up the whole wall behind the cabinets. Off in the right corner was a white whirlpool tub/shower, that looked fun, I couldn't wait to take a bath in that with the jets and everything. It's like your own personal Jacuzzi or hot tub that you can bathe in. Then to the left of the tub was a white toilet which had a little closet across from it that you could keep your bathroom things such as soaps, towels, toilet paper and all of that. All in all, the apartment was just magnificent. It's a perfect place for a small family or to even live in by yourself. I wouldn't mind living here full time, not that it would happen of course, but hey a girl can dream can't she?

By the time Troy and I had gotten there, unpacked, set up the nursery, and settled ourselves in, it was pretty late so we decided to go to bed. Since we had stopped for dinner before coming to the apartment and since we both had already showered earlier in the day we decided to wait on buying all our supplies as we could easily eat breakfast at school the next morning. "So Gabriella, how do you want to do this?" I looked at him confused. "What do you mean?" I asked. "I mean what do you want to do about the sleeping arrangements?" "Oh." To be honest I hadn't really thought about that. There were only two bedrooms in the house and one was a nursery so there was no extra bed. "Well your parents own the place so technically you do to, so you can take the bed and I will sleep out on the sofa. Since I really don't want either of us to sleep on the floor." He shook his head. "No, no. You're the girl so you can take the bed, I'll sleep on the sofa." I bit my lip. "You sure?" I asked. He nodded. "Positive." "Okay well then good night Troy, I will see you in the morning. "Night Gabriella." Troy got the extra pillows and blanket he had brought and made himself comfy on the couch to go to sleep. I headed for the bedroom and got myself ready for bed then crawled in under the blankets. This bed was so huge, I felt like a little kid laying in it. It was kind of lonely being in such a big room, lying in such a big bed, by yourself. I turned the lamp I had on, off then turned over and tried going to sleep. I tossed and turned a few times not being able to get comfy but after about an hour or so I finally succeeded and fell fast asleep.

_So not much going on in this chapter I know, and I apologize but it was basically just meant for you to find out what Troy and Gabriella were going to decide to do for their project and to introduce the apartment to you so you guys can visualize what it looks like, so that way if Gabriella or Troy goes into any of the rooms then you can picture what it looks like and sort of see what they see, as if you were there yourself. That is my goal at least. So I'm hoping I succeed and if not then oh well, I guess it will have been worth the try. Anyway, I promise there will be more going on in the next chapter! R&R please! _


	11. Chapter 11

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 11**

The next day I woke up feeling refreshed and fully rested. I got up and stretched then got up and used the restroom. When I got back in the room I made the bed, and as I finished up I looked over to the alarm clock that I had put on one of the side tables. It was 10:45. "Shit! Why didn't Troy wake me up? I'm so late for school!" I hurried into the living room to call Troy but found him watching TV on the couch. "Troy?" He looked over at me. "Morning Ella, I see you finally got up." He chuckled. I went over and sat next to him. "Why aren't you at school?" I asked. "I woke up late to, I went to get you up but you looked so peaceful and I didn't want to wake you. We must have forgotten to set the alarms." I shrugged. "I guess so. So are we just going to skip for today?" He shrugged. "Yeah. Why not? We can use today to go buy all the supplies we need for the apartment." I nodded. "Okay, sounds good to me. I'll just go change real quick and we can go." "Okay. I'll do the same" Troy said. I nodded then went back to the bedroom and changed. Once we finished changing we met back up in the living room. "Ready to go?" Troy asked. "Ready!" He chuckled and we left.

We went to the grocery store first. "So what do you know how to cook?" Troy asked me. I shrugged. "Just about anything I guess." He smiled. "Good, because I can cook some things but not a lot." I laughed. "Okay." I said in response. He smiled again. We started our shopping getting some of the basic stuff first like milk, eggs, cheese, and bread. Then I started thinking about things we could do for dinner over the next week. I figured one night I could do burgers, another night maybe some chicken, another night maybe some spaghetti. I made a list in my head then got all the things I needed. Then I had Troy pick out some snacks and I went and got some things I could bake like cookies and I got some ice cream as well to make ice cream sundaes. After we got the food we got some drinks. We got some bottled water, some apple juice and orange juice, we got some lemonade and Hawaiian punch, and we got some soda, Pepsi for me and Mountain Dew for Troy. Once we had everything we needed, we cashed out.

After the grocery store we headed over to a store that was specifically meant for babies. It had all of the things you needed to take care of a baby. That made things much easier since I didn't have to run around like a chicken with my head cut off at other stores trying to find baby stuff. We had emailed our teacher and found out we were going to have a baby girl so we got some pink sheets for the crib which went well with the white and pink cushion diaper changing station we had to go with it. We also got some diapers and wipes as well as some baby clothes. Then we got some formula and baby bottles with burping bibs and a high chair. "I can't believe we are buying baby stuff together." I said to Troy. "I know me either. It's definitely different and interesting. I didn't think I would have to do this for at least 10 years." I nodded. "I know me either." As we shopped for the baby things we started to get really into it. It was a lot of fun and soon it was almost as if we were buying the baby things for a baby of our own that we were expecting. Except for one small thing…we weren't married, we weren't even a couple. But all in all it was still fun.

After the baby store we had one last stop to make and that was the dollar store so we could get personal hygiene supplies and some cleaning supplies. We also bought some candy as we were going to rent some movies from the red box. "So Ella, would you like to go out to dinner with me?" I was caught off guard by this sudden request but then responded "Yes, I would love to." He smiled. "Cool." We headed home first to put everything away and take quick showers then we headed out to dinner. Troy took me to this fancy Italian restaurant which was absolutely gorgeous. It was well decorated and very spacious. The aroma of the foods filled my nose with pleasure, the smell of bread sticks, pizza, spaghetti, chicken, and other foods mad my mouth water. We were seated within ten minutes. "Order whatever you want Ella." Troy said with a smile. I smiled back. "Okay." We ordered our drinks and then our food. Once the waiter had left I decided to take the time to view my surroundings more. The walls were a royal blue color with a beautiful dark wooden floor. On the walls were different pictures of places in Italy, all of which were very breathtaking. The lights were dimmed and the atmosphere was calm and quiet. At each table there were one or two lit candles depending on how big the table was. Some soft music played in the background and people chatted quietly all around. It was a very romantic setting.

"So Ella, do you think you are ready for this project of ours?" He said with a small chuckle. I let out a small giggle. "As ready as I'll ever be." I said. "How about you Troy?" He let out a sigh. "As ready as I'll ever be." He said, quoting me and winking. I giggled again. "You have such an adorable giggle Ella did you know that?" Troy said with a smile. I blushed. "T-thanks Troy" I said, stuttering. "He took one of my hands in his, which only made me blush even more. "No problem." He said with a wink. "God he was so cute." I thought. "So…this restaurant is a very nice place, I love it. The atmosphere and everything it's just amazing." I said in astonishment as I looked around. "Glad you like it, I had hoped you would." He said, caressing my hand with his thumb. I was as red as a tomato. "How d-did you even f-find this place?" I asked. "My parents and I used to come here every Sunday for dinner with my grandparents. It was sort of a tradition. However, once my grandparents passed away that tradition sort of…died away." He said looking down. I used my free hand to stroke his cheek. "I'm sorry Troy." He gave me a small smile. "It's okay. You know…you're the first girl that I have ever brought here."

_Working on Chapter 12 now! I would have uploaded it with these as well but I'm getting a bit tired and wanted to get these out there before bed! R&R please! _


	12. Chapter 12

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 12**

_Okay I'm back guys! Got everything situated now, finally, so here is the next chapter!_

I was speechless. "E-Ella?" Troy asked. "I'm the o-only girl you've ever brought here?" I asked. He blushed and looked down. "Yes, you are." "Wow I…I don't know what to say. " I blushed as well. "Anything will do." He let out a small chuckle. "Thank you, for bringing me to some place important to you, some place you have never taken another girl to before. It makes me feel special." I smiled. "You are special." Troy mumbled, so I wouldn't hear I'm guessing, but I heard any way and ended up blushing some more. We sit in a comforting silence for a few minutes and then our food came. "Mmm, can't wait to dig in." I said. Troy chuckled. I had ordered Chicken Marcella, a dish I had fallen in love with when I had first had it a few years back. My mouth watered from the smell. I cut it up then dug my fork in and put a piece in my mouth. I closed my eyes and moaned at the amazing flavor. This one was probably the best one I had ever tasted. "Ha-ha your so cute Ella." Troy said with a smile. I smiled back. "Want to try some?" I asked. He shrugged. "Yeah sure, why not." He leaned over the table and I fed him a piece. "Mmm that is good." "I told you!" I giggled. The waitress came over smiling. "How is everything? Can I get you anything else?" We both shook our heads. "No, we're good thanks." Troy said. "Okay. By the way you and your girlfriend are really cute together." I turned bright red and Troy blushed a little to. "S-she's n-not my…" "Oh! Excuse me, one of my other tables need something, I'll be back with your bill shortly." She headed off. Troy turned to me. "S-sorry about that." He rubbed the back of his neck and I bit my lip. "It's okay." Did we really look like a couple? I mean don't get me wrong, I'd love to be his girlfriend…someday…but I think it's too soon after his break up and after we made up and started being friends again.

After dinner we got some ice cream and shared a banana split, we took turns feeding each other and I giggled a lot. It was so much fun. When we finished we headed home for the night and watched some TV before going to bed. "I had a lot of fun tonight Troy. I haven't enjoyed myself this much in such a long time. Thank you." I hugged him. "My pleasure Ella." He kissed my forehead and I smiled. I still couldn't get used to him calling me Ella, I was so used to him calling me by my full name, but I liked when he called me Ella. "Well we should get some sleep." Troy said. I nodded. "I agree. Good night Troy." "Good night Ella." I smiled then headed to the bedroom and got ready for bed. Before going to sleep I talked on the phone with Ryan and told him about my night and we talked for a while. Then I went to sleep.

The next day flew by and then it was Friday, the day we got our baby. "Okay class I'll hand out the babies now. You all know the gender, as I told you when I first gave you your partners. Once I hand out the babies I'm going to hand out copies of birth certificates and you will all fill them out, so I hope you guys chose a name for your babies. You will put todays date and you will come up with your own baby's weight." Everyone chatted, it was clear no one had thought of a name. Troy and I had though. "So we are going with Emma Rose right Ella?" Troy said. "Yep Emma Rose" I nodded, smiling. "Such a beautiful name, you will be great at picking names for your kids when you're older." Troy smiled. I blushed. "Thanks. I hope so." He winked. "I know so." I giggled. Our teacher came and gave us our baby all wrapped up in a blanket. "Aw she's so cute; who knew mechanical babies could be so adorable." I cooed as I cuddled the baby. Then I blushed in embarrassment. "Um…" Troy just smiled. "It's okay, you're right she is adorable. May I see her?" I nodded and handed the baby over. "Awe, hi there little one, I'm your daddy for the next week or so." He played with the baby as if it was real and the baby giggled in response. I couldn't help but smile; it just gave me a warm fuzzy feeling inside seeing that. "Ah I see a couple of our students are already doing a good job with their baby." Our teacher was in front of us and after saying that and pointing us out to the whole class, troy and I blushed in embarrassment then our teacher gave us the birth certificate and we filled it out. "This is to certify that Emma Rose Bolton, weighing 6lb and 8oz was born on the day of April 13, 2018 to Gabriella…" Troy was reading the birth certificate as we filled it out. "Um would you like me to put your last name or…my last name?" I blushed. "Y-your last name please." He smiled. "Gabriella Bolton and Troy Bolton" Once we finished our teacher waited a few minutes then collected the birth certificates. "Would anyone like a copy of their birth certificates?" Troy and I raised our hands. "Could we please have a copy for both of us?" I asked. "Can they be laminated to?" Troy added. Our teacher nodded. "Sure." She said. "Thanks." We said in unison.

After school we headed home. Emma Rose was hungry so Troy made up a bottle and I got a burping cloth from the nursery then we met back up in the living room and I fed her. She drank the whole bottle. I wonder where it goes since she is mechanical. After I fed her Troy burped her and then we both played with her a while and fed her again before changing her diaper and getting her in bed. She was out like a light by 7. Hopefully bedtime would be that easy every night we had her. Once she was sleeping I went in the kitchen and started dinner as well as some dishes. Troy had stayed in the nursery a bit longer, he like watching her sleep, he thought it was cute and that she looked so peaceful. "Now it's time for the parents to have some…alone time." I heard Troy say, he came up from behind and held my waist. I blushed then turned to him. "Calm yourself mister." I said as I pushed his hands down. He winked which made me giggle. "I'm just playing with you Ella." He smiled. "I know." I replied. I was washing a bottle. "Just think if she were real, you wouldn't need those yet because you would be using those lovely breasts of yours." He wiggled his eyebrows as he looked at my chest. I gasped. "Troy! Don't be such a perv!" I said as I playfully hit him. He laughed as I stuck my tongue out to him. "You're too cute Ella." He kissed my cheek and I blushed. "Anything I can help you with?" He asked. "Um…could you take over dishes for me while I finish up dinner?" I asked. He shrugged. "Yeah sure why not." I smiled. "Thanks!" He chuckled and I went back to dinner. "What are we having any way?" He asked curiously. "Spaghetti with meatballs, a salad, and some garlic bread." He licked his lips. "Mmm sounds good." I laughed. "Hopefully it tastes good." I joked. "Don't kill me Montez." Troy said in a joking stern voice. I giggled. "I'll try not to." I stuck my tongue out again. He laughed and I smiled.

After fifteen more minute's dinner was finished and I served our food. Troy had taken the liberty of setting the table earlier, which I appreciated. Then we sat down and ate. As we ate we chatted about our day, like the parts of our day where we weren't together such as other classes and lunch. "How was basketball practice during free period?" I asked, as I cut a meatball in half and ate some. He shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. "It was okay, my dad was a pain in the ass though because he made us do all these unnecessary exercises afterwards since the team was not on there A game today." Troy's dad was the basketball coach at our school and one of the physical education teachers. He was a very well-known coach and he was a very good one so he got paid well, he also did some office work from home for a local company he owned. "Ah I'm sorry." He waved it off. "Its okay, no big deal, nothing I couldn't handle, after all I am the coaches son, we do some of these exercises and practices at home when we both have free time." I nodded. "Damn Gabriella this dinner is extremely good, you're an amazing cook. Whoever marries you will be one lucky guy that's for sure." I blushed. "Thanks."

After dinner we cleaned up then went out in the living room and watched some television together. As we were watching, Troy moved a little closer to me and put his hand on my knee. I got a shiver when he did and moved a little closer to him, putting my hand on his thigh. After a few minutes troy started moving his hand up my thigh and a bit under the skirt I was wearing and then back down. I bit my lip as I started feeling tingles all over my body. He did it again and I squeezed his thigh, as it had started turning me on. He did it once more and squeezed my thigh in a seductive weigh, and I had to hide a moan. At that point I was afraid I was going to give into my hormones so I quickly got up. "Ella? You okay?" Troy asked. "I um…yeah I-I'm fine…I-I'm just tired. I t-think I'll head to b-bed." Troy looked a bit sad. "Oh…okay….night then." He said. "Night." I mumbled. Then I headed into the bedroom and closed the door. God I didn't want to make him sad…I wanted it…I wanted him…I did but I just…I couldn't…I just couldn't….I don't know. I don't know what I feel or what to make of it. I just don't know. I let out a huge sigh and sat on the edge of the bed for a moment just letting things process. "I think I need a bath. It might relax me." I locked the bedroom door then went in the bathroom and started a bath with some bubbles and the jets. I lit some of my lavender candles that I brought specifically for when I felt I needed them, dimmed the other lights, and put some soothing music on. I quickly undressed, then grabbed the baby monitor and turned the volume up before heading into the bathroom and getting in the tub. Once I did, I subdued myself into the water up to my neck and closed my eyes. I needed to think. I just need some time to think.

_Looks like Gabriella has some mixed feelings huh? Guess she doesn't know what she wants or what to think at the moment. Will she be able to figure it out? What's going through Troy's head? Hmmm. Anyway, R&R! _


	13. Chapter 13

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 13**

_Okay here is the next chapter! A big thanks to my friend and fan wildcats2016 for an idea she gave me that I chose to incorporate into this chapter! Enjoy!_

_Troy's POV_

I watched as Gabriella went to the bedroom. Was something wrong? I know I might have crossed the line a bit but I wanted to take the risk. She seemed to be enjoying it at first; I could tell she was getting turned on, especially when she grabbed my thigh, but then she changed all of a sudden and wanted to go to bed. I didn't really understand. I thought she liked me…I mean I certainly like her…a lot. I was hoping the feeling was mutual but I guess not? She confused me so much. Sometimes she would have me believing that she did like me in the way that I like her but then other times she would have me believing that she strictly just wanted to be friends. I cringed at the thought. I wanted to be so much more than "just friends" with her. I know we just got back on good terms and it hasn't been that long since Sharpay and I broke up but for some reason I just couldn't get her out of my head. To be honest, I couldn't get her out of my head starting way back when she came over to my house the night Sharpay and I got into our huge argument. After she had gone home that not she was all I could think about, I knew it was wrong since I was with Sharpay but I couldn't help it. There was just something about Gabriella that had this effect on me. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever known, even more beautiful than Sharpay. She was intelligent, sweet, kind, nice, helpful, and funny. She knew how to have fun and how to make you feel better when something was wrong. She had a great since of humor. She cared so much about anyone she was close with. She was like an angel; just the most amazing person ever and I wanted to call her mine so bad.

I decided I wanted to go try and talk to her, and see if she was okay. I took a deep breath, fixed my hair, straightened my clothes up then headed to the bedroom. When I got to the door I knocked. No one answered. I knocked again. Still no answer. I knocked a third time. "Ella? Ella are you awake? I want to talk to you please if you don't mind." I waited a minute. "Ella?" I still didn't get an answer and sighed. I was about to head back to the living room when I heard the baby start to cry so I went in and picked her up. "Shh, shh, it's okay Emma what's wrong baby?" I gently shook her as I held her, trying to calm her down. "Are you hungry? Do you want daddy to make you a bottle?" It felt so weird to say that but for the next week I was Emma Rose's father. It was strange because we had only had her for one day but yet I felt as if she was really mine and I felt really close to her. I didn't mind the feeling though, I kind of enjoyed it. After she calmed down I took Emma out into the kitchen and made her a bottle, then headed back to the nursery and sat in the rocking chair we had in there and fed her as I rocked back and forth gently. She drank about half of the bottle before she started dozing off. I burped her and changed her diaper then put her back in her crib and she was asleep instantly. I rubbed her cheek with the back of my finger. "Good night precious, sweet dreams." I kissed her forehead then went back in the living room and got ready for bed myself.

_Gabriella's POV_

I smiled; I had heard Troy from the baby monitor. He's going to make a good daddy for this week and in the future to I'm sure. He sounded so gentle and like he had been doing this his whole life even though he has no siblings so he never really had to take care of a baby or someone younger than him before. I felt bad though, I had heard him knocking and calling for me earlier but I just didn't want to talk to him right now, I really just needed some space. I sighed then finished up my bath and got ready for bed. Before I went to sleep I went over to the nursery and checked on Emma. She was sound asleep. I smiled at the sight of her. I couldn't wait to have my own children. I bent down and kissed her then turned to go back to the bedroom when I saw Troy standing in the doorway which made me jump as I was bit scared. I closed my robe around me and crossed my arms to keep from showing what I wore underneath, which was one of my short night dresses again. "Shit, you scared me Troy." I whispered. "Sorry, I didn't mean to." He came over to me, by Emma's crib. "She looks so peaceful while she's sleeping right?" He smiled as he looked at her. I nodded my head. "Yes, she does." He turned to me; we were so close to one another. "You look like a natural with her Ella." He pushed some hair from my face and rested his hand on my cheek. "T-thanks." He started to lean in and I was about to back away when he stopped and dropped his hand taking a step back himself and clearing his throat. I started to head out of the room when he blocked the door. "Um…do you think we can talk?" He asked, looking at me. "Can we talk at another time? I just want to get some sleep." I said. He looked away. "Yeah, sure." He moved out of the way to let me pass and I started walking by him but stopped for a quick sec and turned to him. "Troy?" I asked. "Yeah?" He replied. "I'm sorry." With that I left the room and went to the bedroom locking the door behind me. I took a deep breath closing my eyes then took my robe off and got in bed going to sleep.

_Troy's POV_

Emma woke up about 6 times during the night. Gabriella got her the first three times and I got her the last. It took about an hour each time she woke up before we got her back to sleep. The next morning III got up and was completely exhausted. I went and checked on Emma, she was still sleeping, and then I took a shower. I had to go to work; I worked at a local garage. The hours were scattered as were the days but it paid well and enough for me. I didn't need much, my parents were kind of wealthy so they had bought me a car and I wasn't picky about clothes. So the money I made just went towards gas and whatever else I felt I needed. I was already set for college, my parents had been saving up since I was born and when I got a job I started putting so much in that account every paycheck I got so I had no worries there. I had just finished my shower and was going to get my work clothes from the dryer when I saw Gabriella coming out of the bedroom, her hair was a bit messy and one strap of her night dress was sliding off her shoulder. She looked so good. "Good Morning Ella." I said, rubbing the back of my neck. She jumped a bit and fixed herself real quick. I couldn't help but smile. "Oh um m-morning T-Troy. What are you d-doing up so early?" I could tell she was checking me out as I was still wet and only in a towel. She was biting her lip; I found it sexy when she did that. "I got to go to work for a few hours remember?" "Oh, right I forgot. Is that what you're getting ready for now?" I nodded. "Yep, I was just heading to get my work clothes." She nodded now. "I see." "What are you doing up so early?" I asked. "Emma is up. I heard her giggling, so I figured I would get up and make some coffee then get her changed and fed." "Oh Emma is up? She must have just gotten up. She was still asleep when I got in the shower." I said. "Yeah probably." She replied. I smiled and then finished getting ready. When I was leaving Gabriella was feeding Emma." I smiled. "You two are beautiful." I said. Ella blushed and I chuckled. "Any way, I'm off to work, see you two in a few hours." She smiled. "Have a good day at work; see you when you get home." "You bet." I said with a smile, and then I headed to work.

_Gabriella's POV_

After Troy left for work I finished feeding Emma and then burped her and changed her diaper. Then I finished off the coffee I made and took a shower to get ready for the day. I was so tired; I was hoping the coffee and shower would wake me up. After that I played with Emma for a couple hours and held her while I watched some television. When her nap time came around I put her to sleep and sat on the couch relaxing a bit. After a few minutes I felt like talking to an old friend of mine, so I got my laptop out and sent her a video chat request. She answered right away, which I wasn't expecting. "Gabriella?!" She shouted when we connected. "Tay Tay! Oh my gosh it has been soo long since we last talked, what about 3 or 4 months now is it?" "I know! It's been way too long! I'm so sorry but school has been kicking my ass so I haven't been able to do anything really let alone get online for even an hour." She explained. 'Wow that sucks, I'm sorry. But I have missed you so much! I have so many things to tell you and I need your advice on something…" I said, trailing off at that end part. "Uh-oh, good or bad?" She asked. "I don't really know…" I replied honestly. She nodded. "Okay well first lets catch up then get to the serious stuff, deal?" I nodded and smiled. "Deal." I started explaining everything she had missed in these past few months, the problems with Sharpay at school, my growing relationship with Troy. Everything. Then she started filling me in on what I missed in her life these past few months.

Taylor Mckessie had been my best friend when I lived in California before moving to New Mexico. We were so close we were almost like sisters. When I moved away we promised to keep in touch via web chat, texts, emails, and phone calls. We were not planning on losing out relationship. Next to Ryan she is one of the most important people to me, except my family of course because that's a given that they are important to me. I missed her so much. I usually went and visited her every summer but I didn't know if I'd be able to make it this summer which made me sad. "Now that we have caught up what is it you need to talk to me about?" Tay asked. "Oh…um it's about Troy..." I said sheepishly as I blushed. "Spill!" She shouted. "Okay so you know how I told you about the baby project right?" "Yes." She replied. "Okay, well for the project our parents thought we should live together to make it a bigger learning experience, so we are living in an apartment his parents own for the duration of the project." I said then paused making sure she was still with me. She nodded which was a sign she understood. "Well we have sort of been getting a bit closer since we started this whole thing. We have almost kissed a couple of times, he took me somewhere special where he had never taken Sharpay or any other girl, people thought we were a couple, and then the other night things go a bit intimate. We were sitting on the couch watching TV and he moved closer to me and put his hand on my knee and shortly after start moving his hand up my thigh which eventually turned me on and drove me crazy but then I got up and rushed off to the bedroom after lying and saying I was tired. He looked hurt when I did to." I said feeling a bit ashamed. "Well I know you like him, you have ever since you moved there, and by the sound of it he likes you to so what's the problem?" I sighed. "I don't know that's the problem. I mean it hasn't been that long since he and Sharpay broke up and it hasn't been that long since we made up and became friends again, so I don't want to move to quickly but also…" I looked away. "What?" She asked. "I think I'm scared." I admitted. "Scared of what? Getting hurt?" There you have it; she knew just what I was thinking as usual. "Yes. I mean he did pick on me with everyone else Tay. I just feel like everything right now is too good to be true and that it's a bet or something for him to get close with me or 'hook up' with me then reveal everything to the whole school or then break it off because it was a bet. I don't know. I just don't want to get hurt again like I have in the past." Taylor had a calm expression on her face as she replied. "Brie…listen to me. Troy was just cheated on, the last thing he is going to do is hurt someone the same amount as he was just hurt. I understand he picked on you before but that's in the past. Besides I don't think Troy would do something like that to you, he's a great guy from what I've heard and you like him a lot. Just give him a chance." I thought about what she said. "Yeah maybe you're right Tay." She smiled. "Maybe first though you should just be up front and honest with Troy and tell him how you feel and about your worries. Help him understand why you have been making excuses every time you get too close. Let him know what you're thinking and I'm sure you guys can work something out." "I wish I could give you a huge hug right now Tay! Thank you so much, you're the absolute best!" She laughed. "I try." I smiled. "I'll try talking to him later when I get home from work because as soon as he gets home I have to leave for work myself." "Sounds like a good idea. When you finish talking let me know what happens okay? I want EVERY detail." I laughed. "Of course." Emma started crying. "Shoot, the baby just woke up, I have to go, it was nice catching up with you Tay and again thanks, you're a life saver!" "No problem Brie, I love you have a good rest of the day." She said, making a heart with her hands. "I love you too Tay bye" I did the heart sign back and blew her a kiss then logged off and went to get Emma.


	14. Chapter 14

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 14**

_Okay so this chapter literally wrote itself! I was not planning on any of what happened, to happen, it sort of just happened on its own and I went with it so the next chapter will definitely be about what this chapter was originally going to be about. So I hope you enjoy! _

_Gabriella's POV_

Troy got home around two which was a bit earlier than usual as he usually didn't get out until 3:30-3:45. Maybe I can talk to him before I get to work and get this whole thing off of my chest earlier. Emma Rose was in her swing giggling and content as can be. I gave her a quick kiss on the head and then went to the bathroom really quick to fix myself up before Troy came in. I had finished and just got back in the living room when Troy walked in. "Hey Tro…" I stopped when I saw his face. He looked infuriated and was all red with anger. I wondered what had happened. "Troy?" He slammed the front door, startling Emma and making her cry. I went over and picked her up out of her swing to calm her down. As I did, Troy threw his stuff on the ground, and punched a wall pacing back and forth running his hands through his hair. I had never seen him so mad before. I was kind of scared. Was he mad at me? I wondered with a shudder. The thought of him being this mad at me for something terrified me. "T-Troy?" I tried again. "What!" He yelled back, snapping his head toward me. His yelling caused me to stumble backwards and fall onto my back, while I was still holding Emma. I had just calmed her down but the fall made her cry again. When Troy saw us fall his expression softened and he hurried over to us. "God, I'm so sorry Ella, are you okay?" He said as he took Emma from me and held her in one of his arms while he used his free hand to help me up. "F-Fine." I stuttered, still scared. He sighed. "I didn't mean to scare you." He turned to Emma. "Shh, baby its okay, daddy's sorry, he shouldn't have blown up on mommy like that. Shh, calm down." After a few minutes he manages to calm Emma down and I put her back in her swing. Then I went into the kitchen where Troy had gone to get himself a drink. "Troy? What happened?" I asked quietly, not wanting to make him anymore mad than he already was. He turned to me. "Let's go sit down." I nodded and he took me into the living room. We sat on the couch and he took a deep breath before continuing to talk.

"I was at work and had just finished a car so went to get a drink from the vending machine. When I went back to get back to work Sharpay was there. She saw me coming toward her and ran over and hugged me tight, starting to cry. She apologized over and over for what she did and begged for my forgiveness saying she missed me and loved me and wanted me back. I tried to resist her but she was persistent and eventually kissed me. I was caught off guard, but after a minute when I saw the tears rolling down her face and felt her arms around me I felt a weakness and gave in and kissed her back." When I heard the last part, jealousy shot through me and I felt like I had been stabbed in the heart. He kissed her back? How could he kiss her back let alone let her kiss him after what she did to him? I didn't understand. "When I kissed her all the feelings I had for her came flooding back and I hated it, I didn't want to feel anything for her, and I had started to like someone else. She comes around and kisses me and all of a sudden it's like I'm under her spell again and I realized that I…still love her. I wanted to go further with her and kiss her even more but I couldn't since I was at work." Tears started to well up in my eyes so I hid my face behind my hair and didn't look at him. "So then what's the problem Troy?" I asked trying to keep my voice from cracking because of the pain I now felt and trying to keep it from going cold. "You seemed to have enjoyed it and even wanted more so why are so pissed off." When I said that, I was well aware that I had let the cold tone out that I had been trying to keep from coming out in the first place. Troy was silent and I wasn't sure if he had noticed the cold tone in my voice or not but I didn't dare look his way. "The problem…is that now I'm confused and don't know what to feel. I have mixed emotions and I'm not sure what exactly I want. I'm torn and I hate it. I hate that Sharpay showed up at my work and made my feelings for her resurface, causing all this confusion. Things were fine before she showed up and now I don't know what to do and I'm pissed that my emotions and feelings are as fucked up as they are right now." Troy finally said. "I see." I said, being kind of short with him. "Anyway, I have to get ready and go to work." I got up without saying another word then went in the bedroom and got ready for work. When I finished I grabbed my wallet and car keys and left without saying goodbye to Troy. My shift didn't start for another hour but I'd buy some time at the café near the hospital. I just needed to get away from Troy. I needed space and needed to think.

_Troy's POV_

I watched Gabriella as she left. Was she about to cry? And why did she sound mad or upset? Did I make her mad? Did I hurt her? I didn't know what to think, all I knew was I was absolutely hating myself right now. I felt like I was going crazy, I didn't know what I felt or what I wanted. I didn't know if I truly wanted Sharpay or if I wanted Gabriella and on top of it all I just made the mother of my temporary baby upset. Things were not going right at all. I wish it would all just end or that things would clear up for me so I know what I want or what to think and so I wasn't so confused. I had never felt so lost in my life. I looked over at Emma who appeared as though she was looking intently at me; after all she had just witnessed what happened between Gabriella and me. I went over and picked her up. "Hey baby, daddy needs some cheering up, do you think you can help?" I cuddled her and she giggled which made me smile. I checked her diaper and it needed to be changed. "You could have said something Emma; one of us would have changed you earlier." I said to her as I took her to the nursery. After I changed her diaper I fed her and watched some television with her. I was hoping that watching TV would help me forget about everything for a while. But I was wrong, because I wouldn't be getting my mind off of anything soon when I heard a knock at the door and saw who it was.

_Gabriella's POV_

When I got to work I put my things in the employee closet, put my hair net on, washed my hands and put my gloves on, then got to work. A couple of my co-workers said hello to me and asked me how my day had been, making small talk. Work was pretty easy tonight; it wasn't so hectic like it sometimes was which I liked. It was nice to have a break but still be able to do something to keep my mind off of things. After about an hour and a half some of the guys even started to flirt with me, which gave me an idea. "I'll just flirt with some of my guy co-workers that usually cheers me up and gets my mind off of things." I thought to myself. Then I smiled and started flirting back. This was going to be fun.

_Troy's POV_

I put Emma back in her swing and went to answer the door. "Sharpay…what are you doing here? How did you even find me?" I asked as I was kind of curious. She shrugged. "I heard my brother talking to Gabriella one night so I knew you and her were living together for this project. After what happened earlier I went home and made him give me the address and asked him what time Gabriella usually went to work. He told me and now I'm here, with her nowhere to be found." She smirked and grabbed and kissed me hard. Instantly I was turned on and couldn't resist. I picked her up and wrapped her legs around me kicking the door shut and pushing her up against it. I continued kissing her and the kiss grew even more heated. I moved my lips down her neck and to her shoulder. "Mmm Troy." She moaned pushing my head closer to her. I smirked and started sucking on her neck leaving a mark. We moved against the walls making out for a while then I carried her to the bedroom and put her down on the bed climbing on top of her as she started taking my shirt off. I forgot all about Emma.

_Gabriella's POV_

We finished up work and then one of the guys stopped me before we clocked out. "Hey Gabi I'm having a party at my house tonight, would you like to come?" "Oh…I don't know Damon…" I stopped and thought for a minute. "Actually yes, I would love to come, mind if I go home and change real quick and then head over?" He smiled. "That's fine, well see you there!" He smiled again then waved good bye. I smiled and waved back then grabbed my things and clocked out. I was home within 10 minutes. My mood had gotten much better since work. When I pulled up I noticed a car in the driveway, one that didn't belong to either Troy or I. I thought that was a little strange. I parked my car on the street and headed inside. Emma was in her swing in the living room crying and I could smell her dirty diaper from the doorway. I went over and picked her up. "Baby girl are you okay? What's wrong? Where's daddy?" I heard her stomach growl. She was hungry. I took her into the nursery and changed her diaper and then headed out to go get a bottle for her when I heard some noises coming from the bedroom. I opened the door and what I saw cut me to the absolute core. I gasped and closed Emma's eyes. Sharpay and Troy were all over each other in the bed. "Troy…" I said. Troy looked up instantly. "Gabriella!" He rushed off the bed and put his boxers on and started to put his shorts on before heading to the door but I slammed it. I quickly made some bottles in the kitchen and packed a bag for Emma and was just about to leave when he came out. "Gabriella! Wait! Please!" He saw that I had Emma with me and a diaper bag packed, with bottles and everything. "Wait, where are you taking Emma?" I ignored him for a minute and continued heading for the door before I turned and finally said in the coldest voice I had ever used, "Away from you." With that I rushed out the door to my car and drove off. I took Emma to my parents' house and fed her a bottle after which she fell asleep. Then I went to my room and changed into some jeans and a cute blouse and headed downstairs. "Gabriella what is going on? Why did you bring Emma here? Why not leave her with Troy?" My mom asked. "Because I walked in on Troy fucking Sharpay, completely ignoring Emma Rose who was in her swing, crying, hungry, and with a soiled diaper. He neglected her to fuck that…that slut!" I snapped. Then I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm myself. Then I said, "I'm sorry for snapping at you mom. Look I'm going out with some friends from work for a few hours and I refuse to leave my baby with the guy who just neglected her." My mom nodded. "Okay, have fun with your friends." She said quietly. I nodded and then left,

_Troy's POV_

"DAMNIT!" I shouted over and over. "What the fuck did I just do? The girl I've been trying to get with just left and with my baby! All because I couldn't control my god damn hormones!" I yelled and hollered at the top of my lungs, and had a meltdown for 3 hours straight. After Gabriella left I made Sharpay leave and that's when I broke down. What was I going to do now? What was I supposed to say to Gabriella? Not only did I have sex with another girl in OUR house but I neglected Emma Rose. How could I let this happen? I just kept fucking everything up. That's all I was, a huge fuck up.

After I calmed myself and regained my composure, I took a shower and got dressed then headed over to Gabriella's parents' house, as that was the only place I could think of that she would have gone since, if she went to Ryan's, she would have to face Sharpay. When I got there I knocked on the door and Mrs. Montez answered. "Troy? What are you doing here?" She asked. "I came to see Gabriella, is she here?" She shook her head. "No Troy, she's at a party, and has been for the last few hours. I don't think she will be home anytime soon. You'll have to come back tomorrow." "What party did she go to?" I asked curiously. "One of her co-workers', he invited her after work." She replied. "Oh, I see." I said looking down. "Is…is Emma here?" I could see Gabriella's mom stiffen. "Yes. But she's sleeping so you should just go home." She said. That hurt to hear those words. "I won't wake her; can I please just come in and give her a kiss goodnight?" I pleaded. "Troy I don't think that's a good idea. Gabriella doesn't want you around her right now after what you did." I started to tear up. Sharpay's words from when she was telling me goodbye earlier came to my mind. "Why do you care so much about that baby any way Troy? It's not real; it's just a stupid mechanical one for a stupid school project that we evidently have to do." I knew Emma was only mechanical but to me she was real, and she was mine, at least for the time being. So yes the thought of not being allowed to see her, kills me. "Okay, I understand. Have a nice night Mrs. Montez." She nodded. "You to Troy." After that, quite reluctantly I might add, I went home. Well rather, I went to Chad's and got some alcohol and THEN I went home.

_Gabriella's POV_

I was having a blast at Damon's party, I had been dancing and playing games non stop for the past three hours! However, I had also been drinking quite a bit and I think it's safe to say I was drunk off my ass. I flirted with some guys and made out with some but never went any further. A skill of mine that I possessed was being able to control myself a lot more than most people could do when they were drunk. After another two hours Damon helped sober me up and then him and his brother Darren helped get me home. Darren drove me home while Damon drove my car behind us. It was true that I had sobered up for the most part but they wanted to be safe and make sure. When we got to my house I thanked them and hugged them goodbye and they headed back to their house in Darren's car. When I walked inside everyone was sound asleep, even Emma. I found a note on the kitchen counter and read it. "Gabriella, Troy stopped by while you were gone. He wanted to see you about something and he wanted to see Emma Rose." I stiffened up but kept reading. "However, I told him he couldn't see her and that you wouldn't be home for a while and advise he go home." I let out a sigh of relief. "I think you two should talk. You can't avoid him, he's your partner for your school project and because of the project he is also your virtual husband or in other words, your significant other, even if you two aren't together for real. It appears to me there are a lot of unsaid thoughts and feelings between the two of you and they need to come to light. It's not healthy to keep things pent up. Love, Mom" I re-read the note about three times and then rolled my eyes. As always, my mother was right. Troy and I did need to talk. I looked at the time. It was quarter to 2 in the morning so it was long shot, but I grabbed my keys and headed to the apartment.

_Sorry! I know it's really long!_


	15. Chapter 15

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 15**

_Here is Chapter 15!_

I drove really fast, faster than I should have but I didn't care. I was there within five minutes. I parked the car then headed to the door. It was locked but I still had my key so I unlocked it and went inside. I looked in the living room but he wasn't there. "Troy!" I called. "Troy it's Gabriella where are you?!" I called again. I went in the kitchen and found beer cans all over as well as some spilled beer. "What the hell is this? Did he have a party or something?" I said to myself. I didn't see any garbage or signs of a party. Troy couldn't have drunk all this beer himself though right? I mean he knows drinking that much can be dangerous for him doesn't he? I thought. After thinking that I immediately had a bad thought. "Troy!" I ran into the nursery and he wasn't there, I ran into the bathroom and he wasn't there but the mirror had been broken and there was blood dripping into the bedroom. No, no, no. I cautiously walked into the bedroom and the huge mirror that had been in the room was smashed to bits with even more blood. "Troy!" I ran into the bathroom and I was horrified at what I saw. There was blood on the floor leading to the bathtub where there was bloody water. I saw Troy's clothes on the floor and some more beer cans but where was Troy? I gasped in realization and got into the tub fishing for Troy, I couldn't see because the water was too dark so I moved my hands around in the water and turned myself around. After five minutes I finally ran my hands over something solid. I closed my hands around the solid item and lifted it up. It was Troy. I used all my strength to lift him out of the water but I ended up slipping and falling, hitting my head on the tub in the process. I grabbed Troy's phone from his discarded pants and dialed 911 then I blacked out.

I woke up to bright lights and a sanitized smelling room. I was in the hospital that much was true. I looked around but I was the only one in the room. I tried sitting up but a pain shot through my head and I felt like I had been hit multiple times with a metal item such as a golf club or hammer. I yelled in pain but it only made it worse and I started crying. I tried to remember what had happened but couldn't remember, I looked around and noticed my clothes on a nearby chair which were soaked and bloody. I instantly remembered what happened. "Troy…" I breathed. Then I got out of the bed, despite the pain and my unbalanced self, and started heading out of the room. I needed to see Troy; I needed to know he was okay. I stumbled all over and held my head as I moved. I moved to the door and fell against it as I lost my balance. I pushed myself back up and slowly opened the door as I was struggling. Once out in the hall I looked both ways and saw what appeared to be a desk at the end of the hall to the left. I started heading down that way falling against both the left wall and right wall as I was clearly unbalanced. The moving made my head hurt worse and I could feel myself blacking out once more but I kept pushing myself. I needed to see Troy, I wasn't going to die without seeing him one last time and I knew at this point I was going to die.

I continued down the hall and it was as if I were in a horror movie, one of those horror movies where the main character has some mental problems or some shit. I was walking down a white hallway in a hospital with some lights flickering and it appeared as though it was abandoned. The pain in my head got to be too severe and I had collapsed to the ground. From there I continued down the hall by crawling. I heard voices but I couldn't make out what they were saying as my hearing became impaired. My vision started to blur and soon it started to go all together. My brain was shutting down from the pain, no doubt my condition's doing. "No." I said in a barely audible or understandable voice. "No, not like this, I'm not going to go like this." I thought to myself. I started crawling faster, or at least as fast as I could. I finally got to the desk and I heard more voices and felt people touching me. "W-Where's T-Troy?" I tried saying but I guess they couldn't understand. "T-Troy!" I tried shouting. I got another shot of pain in my head and then everything stopped. All the voices, the touching, I couldn't see or hear anything. Everything was dark and no one was around, then the weirdest thing happened to me, I saw myself lying on the floor lifeless, with doctors surrounding me as well as some other staff members looking concerned. I had died, I knew that now as I watched the seen below. Great. I didn't even get to see Troy, or get to know if he was okay, and I didn't even get to tell him my feelings, my true feelings regarding him, regarding us. I wanted to cry but didn't have a body and therefore no eyes or tear ducts to do so. All I could do was watch the scene below. Then a bright light came from behind me. I turned around. It was beautiful. I started heading towards it as I felt like it was pulling me. I took one last look at the scene behind me. "Goodbye Troy." Then I went into the light.

Shortly after I woke up, gasping for air and my heart racing. I was back in the hospital. "Miss .Montez? Miss. Montez can you hear me? Please speak up if you can hear me." My doctor said. "I-I can h-hear you." I managed to say. I heard many sighs of relief and it was not until then that I realized there were more people in the room. Along with my doctor there was a second doctor, and 3 nurses. I looked down at my chest, I was hooked up to a heart monitor and the cardiac defibrillators were still on my chest from when they revived me. They saw me looking at them and then removed them. I tried moving but my head still hurt. "Miss. Montez please don't attempt to move, you need emergency surgery, until then any movement you make will only worsen your condition as it has progressed rapidly." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My doctor had been telling me since the day I moved here that it would progress and get worse but I had always hoped I had a lot longer than this. "O-Okay." I said. "But I want to see Troy, Troy Bolton, he's here right? Please tell me he is here and oh god; please tell me he is alive." I begged, pleading as I started to cry. "Yes Mr. Bolton is okay, we were able to revive him, and he has been healing pretty quickly. I can take you to see him for a few minutes but it has to be quick, you need the surgery as soon as possible." I just nodded slightly, which hurt my head even more. Then my doctor took me to Troy's room. "Gabriella?!" Troy shouted as soon as I was wheeled in. He ran over to me and hugged me tight "Oh god baby I heard you died, I was so scared!" He touched me all over just to make sure I was really there. But I could only think of one thing. "Did he just call me baby?"

"Troy? Oh Troy thank god you're okay!" I said as I recovered from my thoughts. I hugged him back tighter and cried tears of joy. He wiped my tears away "Shh baby its okay, shh I'm here, I'm okay." He kissed my cheek and held me. "I w-was so s-scared when I f-found you and then I-I d-die…" He shook his head. "Don't say it, please don't say it. I'm here now, I'm safe. Everything's going to be okay now that I have you back." He kissed me again this time on my forehead and some more of my tears fell. "T-Troy I n-need to g-get su-surgery. My condition has g-gotten w-worse." He looked at me with fear in his eyes but also a sense of knowing. He knew it had to be done just like I did. He nodded, then he turned to my doctor. "Make sure she comes out of there alive." My doctor nodded. "G-goodbye T-Troy." I said. He snapped his head towards me. "No, no don't you dare say goodbye Gabriella, don't you dare. I will see you again. I will." He said in the most serious voice I had ever heard him use. I nodded and then my doctor reeled me out and took me to get ready for my surgery.

_Troy's POV_

I watched as Gabriella's doctor reeled her away, I watched until she was out of sight. I hated the idea of her going into surgery, I lost her once, I didn't want to lose her again. I went back to my bed and layed in it thinking. So much had happened; I couldn't even fathom what would have happened if Gabriella didn't find me in our bathtub. I drank too much and I was pissed at the world, at myself, I couldn't look in the mirror at myself, I was disgusted by what I saw, so I punched both mirrors in our house and hurt myself pretty bad, though at the time I couldn't feel anything due to the amount of alcohol I had consumed. I got in the bathtub to clean myself off with a drink still in my hand but with the loss of blood and the amount of alcohol in my system, I passed out and evidently drowned. I couldn't believe I had been so stupid; thank god Gabriella came to the house and found me. If it wasn't for her, I'd still be dead right now. But one question kept popping in my head, why had she come back? I was sure she wasn't going to after what happened, and honestly I didn't blame her. I knew one thing though, actually two things. One, I had made my decision and I had discovered what I really wanted, and what I wanted was a petite brown eyed, curly haired beauty, Gabriella. I wanted her and no one else, I didn't want Sharpay, that was a thing of the past and I knew that now because I knew it wasn't meant to be, but with Gabriella I just couldn't help but feel that we belonged together and I couldn't picture my life without her and when this whole thing was over I was going to quit being a coward and tell her how I really felt. And second, I was going to ask what had made her come back after what I did. I smiled to myself thinking about it, and with that I went to Gabriella's room to wait for her to come out of surgery.

_Gabriella's POV _

I had my surgery and a week later was allowed out of the hospital. Due to everything that happened with Troy and I, our teacher allowed us to make-up the project since we had been in the hospital. So Emma Rose was still with us, and we were back in the apartment. When we left the hospital the first thing we did was go back to the apartment and clean it up before allowing Emma back into the house. The whole hospital situation had really caused Troy and I to bond, and quite a lot I might add. However, I still hadn't been able to talk to him about my feelings. That was going to change today though. I put Emma down for a nap and waited for Troy to get home from work. When he got home I let him wash up and get something to eat. I on the other hand was not allowed to go back to work for a month. When Troy had finally settled in I spoke up. "Troy?" I asked. He looked at me. "Yes Ella?" I looked down "I-I need to talk to you." Troy didn't reply so I looked up to see that his facial expression had changed. He looked more serious now. He put his soda down and turned to me. "I need to talk with you to." I nodded. "You can go first if you would like." I was still nervous. "Are you sure?" He asked. "Positive." I replied. He nodded. "First, there has been something I have wanted to ask you since…everything happened." I nodded, understanding that he met the hospital situation. "Okay, what is it you have wanted to ask?" He took a deep breath. "Why did you come back?" I looked at him with pure shock; I was taken off guard by his question. "Why I c-came back?" I repeated. He nodded. It was my turn to take the deep breath. "That's what I have wanted to talk to you about. There is something I need to say, and it is important so that is why I came back on that day. I was going to attempt to talk to you about it then, after some persuasion from my mom." He nodded understanding. "Okay, what is it you needed to say?" I looked down and closed my eyes taking another deep breath. "You know how anytime we have gotten really close, I-I've made an excuse to leave or to stop it, or get away from it?" I asked. "Yes." He said. "Well, that's because, it's because…" I sighed. "It's because I really like you and I'm afraid if I allow myself to get too close to you, or if I allow myself to give in to my desires, to give into you, that I'm going to get hurt." A few minutes went by and Troy hadn't said anything. I was about to give up when I felt his hand lift my chin up to meet his gaze. "Gabriella…" I tried not to look into his eyes but I gave in and soon was looking straight into those amazing, mesmerizing, ocean blue eyes of his. "I know I have hurt you in the past, like, a lot, and I know I have given you every reason to feel the way you do but you have to believe me when I say that you mean everything to me and I swear to god I'll kill myself before ever hurting you again." I gave him a small smile, but then I remembered that he wanted to say something else to. "Troy, what is the second thing you wanted to tell me now that I have told you what I wanted." Troy kept his gaze on me and then pushed some hair from my face before leaving it to rest on my cheek. "I wanted to tell you that I like you a lot to, and I also wanted to ask why you acted strange when things did get a bit intimate between us but you have already answered that. I wanted to tell you that I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since the day you came over to my house and helped cheer me up. I know I picked on you after that but it was only because I was stupid and was worried about what others thought about me and was worried about my image. But I realized that I didn't want to be that guy anymore, I realized I would never be able to get you out of my head after that night. I almost kissed you that night, and god damn it I should have, I should have ended it with Sharpay the next day, and I should have started getting to know you more. But I've gotten to know you, and it's been over between Sharpay and I, and right now you're the only thing that I want." He kissed me hard yet passionately after that and out of instinct and bad habit I pulled back and tried resisting. He pulled back and moved his mouth up to my ear and whispered, "It's time to stop resisting me." My breath caught and I got tingles throughout my body. He moved his lips to my neck and started kissing it then worked his way back up to my mouth. I did as he said and I stopped resisting him as I kissed back with all the pent up emotions and passion I've had for so long.


	16. Chapter 16

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 16**

We continued to kiss and I was in complete bliss. Troy gently pushed me down against the couch and got over top of me, he pushed his tongue into my mouth and our tongues started moving in sync with one another. I moaned. "Troy…" I felt him smile against my lips. "Mmm I like the sound of that." He said in a lower voice than he usually used, giving me shivers, as it was the sexiest thing I had ever heard. He kissed me more then moved back to my neck kissing it and trailing around it with his tongue. I squeezed his shoulders and moved my head in a way to reveal more of my neck. He continued and bit down on the sweetest part I had causing me to moan once again, this time a lot louder than before. I started moving my hands all over his body, feeling up every part of him, and then I moved under his shirt and lifted it off of him, feeling up his muscular chest and his godly abs. I felt his body convulse involuntarily as I did and then he started breaking out in goose bumps. "God Ella, your touch drives me wild." I smirked and then I pushed him forward and I got on top. I kissed him hard on the lips and sucked his bottom lip. He groaned in pleasure which only turned me on even more. I started kissing his neck and then I started to nibble a bit and I hit his sweet spot as he instantly moaned my name and pushed my head closer to his neck. I loved making him feel this way. I kissed down his neck after leaving a mark, and then down and around his chest and abs and then licked back up and started kissing him again. He started feeling me up and then he started taking my shirt off still kissing me. I went to start undoing his pants when I heard Emma crying through the baby monitor. Troy groaned but this time in frustration. I couldn't help but giggle, it was cute. I went to get up but he pulled me back down by my waist. "Ellllllllllaaaaa pleaseee don't go." I kissed him again then moved his hands off me. "I have to go get the baby, she's probably hungry and needs a diaper change." I got up and put my shirt back on then headed to the nursery. Troy grabbed a pillow and put it over his face groaning again. I giggled once more, he was too cute.

I got Emma Rose and changed her diaper then went in the kitchen and made her a bottle. Then I took her back into the living room were Troy was sitting, watching some TV, still shirtless. "There's my two favorite girls, come over here." I smiled and went and sat beside Troy. He put his arm around me and I cuddled up into him with Emma still in my arms as I fed her. "How's my baby girl doing?" Troy cooed as he ran his finger over Emma's nose. She pulled away from her bottle and giggled. I smiled then looked to her and Troy then back again. I felt so at peace, and like everything was perfect, like nothing could go wrong. I loved my perfect, non-existing family I had at the moment. It may not have been real but I didn't care, for the time being I could live my fantasy. I could have the perfect little family I had always wanted, with the perfect husband,( even though Troy and I weren't even married, and we weren't exactly a couple as it hadn't really been made official), and the perfect baby even though she was only a school project. I didn't care about any of that that; I just want to enjoy the moment. I smiled to myself and cuddled into Troy more. He closed his arm around me tighter and we all sat there with the most comfortable atmosphere I had ever felt.

We didn't do much the rest of the day, just spent time together and Troy even made dinner after we put Emma to bed. He made spaghetti with meatballs and he even made the table all fancy, with roses as the center piece and two candles on either side of the table, the lights out. He also had some soothing music playing. "Wow, Troy this…this is amazing. It's so….romantic." I said. Smiling. He came up from behind me and wrapped his arms around me. "Well I felt like doing something special, for the one special girl in my life." He kissed my head, making me blush. I turned to face him. "Well I love it." I kissed him. "Would you like some sparkling apple cider?" He asked. I giggled. "I would love some, it's my favorite." This was true. "I know." Troy said with a wink. I blushed some more and then Troy served the food and we ate. "Mmm Troy this is delicious. I didn't know you could cook." He chuckled. "It's nothing; I've helped my mom multiple times in the kitchen." I laughed. "Well she taught you well." He smiled and we finished dinner then watched a movie together. "Well I'm tired; I think I'm going to head to bed." I said as I got up once the movie finished. "Okay, goodnight Ella." Troy said and then he kissed me. "Sweet dreams." I smiled and nodded then headed to the bedroom. I turned back toward Troy once I was by the kitchen and I saw him getting the couch set up for him to sleep. I bit my lip before calling, "Troy?" He turned to face me. 'Yeah, Ella?" I looked down. "Would you like to…would you like to sleep in the bed with me? I asked shyly. He looked at me confused. "Are you sure?" He asked. I nodded and a wide smile crossed his face. "I'd love to." He replied. Then he picked up the things he had gotten out, turned the light off and came over to me. I grabbed his hand and we went in the bedroom. I slept extremely well that night.

The rest of the week went by fairly quickly. It was Friday, and we were at school in Child Development class. We went through our lesson and at the end of class we had to give Emma Rose back. "We're going to miss you." I said. Troy nodded. "Yeah we are, but it was nice while we had you." We handed Emma over to our teacher. "Thank you, you two." She took Emma and disabled her. It was like she killed her right in front of us and Troy and I both cringed at the sight. "I would also like to inform you that you two got an A+ and you both got two hundred points added into your grades as extra credit. You two took this project very seriously and even acted like Emma Rose was truly real. No one else in your class got a good grade as they all got frustrated and abused the child or neglected it." That was such a horrid thought. To think these people would be possible parents someday just horrified me. I shivered in disgust. "You two will make great parents someday, I'm glad I had you in my class." She finished. We both nodded and thanked her then left and walked together to our next class. "Well I guess this means now we move back with our parents huh?" Troy asked. I bit my lip. "Yeah, I guess so." I was kind of sad at the thought. I liked living with Troy, it was nice and I liked the freedom and the since of independence. It was going to be hard trying to get used to living in separate houses again but it couldn't be helped. "Well here's where I have to split, I'll talk to you later Ella." I nodded. "See ya." We went to kiss but both stopped. It didn't feel right to do it in school; in fact it didn't feel right at all at that moment. We just waved awkwardly at one another and then went our separate ways to our classes. What happened? I thought to myself. I couldn't concentrate the rest of the day.


	17. Chapter 17

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 17**

_WARNING! GRAPHIC CONTENT LATER ON IN THIS CHAPTER! I ADVISE CAUTION IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH!_

After school Troy and I met up at the apartment and cleaned it up and packed our things getting ready to leave and go back to our respective homes. We didn't say a word to one another, it was extremely awkward. When we finished up we locked up, I gave Troy my key to the house then we waved goodbye and then went back to our houses, even though we lived right next door to each other I didn't see Troy get home when I did or even a few minutes after. "He must have gone somewhere." I said to myself. I sighed then locked my car up and went inside. My parents weren't home so I just did some laundry, made myself some dinner, then showered and went into my room for the night. I did my homework then put some music on and did some cleaning. I hadn't been there in a long time so it needed to be tidied up a bit. About two hours later I was almost finished and was getting ready to clean my windows when I looked across into the window across from me, which looked into Troy's room. I saw Troy taking his shirt off then he went and did some pull ups on a bar he had above his window. I bit my lips as I watched. God why did he have to be so sexy? I caught myself checking him out and even drooling a bit. I quickly closed my curtains and snapped myself out of it. I was so pathetic. I shook my head trying to regain my thoughts then got back to cleaning. I would just have to do the windows another time. I sighed, I missed Troy, but something wasn't right between us at the moment and I don't know why.

_Troy's POV_

I thought I saw Gabriella looking at me through her window but her curtain was closed before I could be sure. I felt bad I hadn't really said anything to her since we gave Emma back today. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I know that project wasn't the reason I had feelings for Gabriella, I mean it wasn't an act or anything, and just because it was over didn't mean my feelings were gone so what was wrong? Since Gabriella and I had gotten closer, my friends had also warmed up to her and accepted her even, including Chad, he was just as protective of her as I was, which I was glad about but at the same time was a little jealous about. I had gone over to talk to Chad and get some advice but he was just as stumped as me. He didn't understand why I just didn't make things between Gabriella and me official. I was at a lost and I didn't know what to do. I was frustrated at myself beyond belief and so I was taking my frustration out by doing some exercise. I did miss Gabriella though, and I wanted to talk to her really bad and see her but I couldn't bring myself to do either. I was pathetic, so pathetic, it sickened me. I did a few more reps of pull ups then went and got a drink and crashed on my couch for a few minutes. After I had rested a little bit I got up and took a shower, then had some dinner and went to bed. I dreamed of Gabriella that night, but it wasn't a good one, it was about her being with some other guy, which hurt me to the core.

_Gabriella's POV_

A few weeks had gone by and Troy hadn't talked to me at all, he wouldn't even answer my texts or calls. What was wrong? It was as if he was avoiding me but I didn't know why, I didn't know what I had done to upset him or make him mad and it worried me that I didn't know. To top it off I got the news that Ryan would be moving because his parents had split up and he was going to live with his mom in California. Hearing that news broke my heart. It was the day Ryan was leaving and I was at his house helping him do some last minute packing. "Hey Gabs can you hand me that stuff over there please." I nodded and went and got it. "Here you go." I handed it to him. "Thanks beautiful." I smiled, I was really going to miss him, he was the only one I could fully trust and tell anything to. He was the only one that could cheer me up no matter what. I wasn't even that trustworthy of Troy yet especially now that he decided to just act like nothing happened between us. It hurt. "Ryan?" I asked quietly. "Yeah Gabs?" I looked down as tears welled in my eyes. "Will I…will I ever be able to see you again?" The tears started to fall and Ryan scooped me up in his arms and hugged me tight, kissing the top of my head. "Yes of course you will Gabs, I'll come visit you as much as I can and you can visit whenever you want to. I'll make sure to text you and call you and web chat you as much as possible. I promise. Please don't be sad Gabs, you know I hate seeing you cry." He wiped my tears away and I hugged him tired burying my head in his chest. This was the last time I'd be able to hug him like this, at least the last time for a long time, since I didn't know when I'd be able to see him again. I hated this so much. We finished up packing his things and then I helped him and his mom pack their car. Then I said one last goodbye and hugged him again and watched as they left. The only best friend I had here just left. I couldn't stop crying. I had fallen to the ground and buried my head in my hands when I hear a familiar voice, a voice of the one person I hated beyond comparison. Sharpay.

"Oh look the little nerd is crying. Did you just lose your best friend? How sad, now you have no one since Troy won't even so much as look at you anymore." I clenched my fists. "Shut up Sharpay." I said coldly. She laughed meticulously. "No way, you ruined my relationship with Troy, and now I'm going to enjoy seeing you cry and in pain. You deserve it." She said even colder. "No, you deserved what you got, you had a great guy and you cheated on him, and for what? A change in pace? A bigger dick? To be adventurous? Hmm? What for Sharpay?" I got up and looked at her then. She moved closer to me. "You listen here you little bitch! I have my reasons for doing what I did, and I don't regret it one bit, I even fooled Troy into thinking I was sorry and guess what? I got him to FUCK me, yet again. That's something you have never gotten nor will ever get." I cringed as her words hurt but I didn't let Sharpay know. "Actually, now that I think about it, I know why you cheated. You cheated because you know you're not good enough for Troy, you know you never were good enough for him, and you know you never will be good enough for him so you found yourself someone who is right on your level and is just as pathetic and heartless as you." As I said that I moved closer to her and when I finished I had made her fall back to the ground and I saw tears well up in her eyes. I had hit the bulls eye.

After my confrontation with Sharpay I had gone to Starbucks and got myself a Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino. My guilty pleasure when I felt like shit. Then I went home. My parents were out of town so I was alone for the weekend. I went in the kitchen and saw a knife on the counter and got a sudden urge. I locked both my front and back doors and my balcony door. Then I went into my bedroom bathroom and locked that door. With the knife still in my hand, I started an old habit. I cut five deep slits in both of forearms, biting my lip at the pain until it turned into a release as I watched the blood ooze out of the cuts and drip down the rest of my arm and hand onto the floor. I put the knife down and took one more sip of my drink then punt my arms on my lap and closed my eyes allowing the rest of the blood to spill and the release of all the pain I had felt between Troy, the departure of Ryan, and Sharpay's words. I had missed this feeling of release. I soon started to fade as my mind got blurry and all the thoughts I had in my head stopped and everything went still and silent.

_Troy's POV_

I got home from basketball practice and saw Gabriella's car in her driveway, signifying she was home, and I suddenly got an overwhelmingly bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I didn't know why but I was pulled to Gabriella's house as I felt I needed to. When I got there I knocked on the door but got no answer. I tried opening it but it was locked and the feeling I had grew deeper as panic and worry washed over me. I went to the back door and that was locked to, then I climbed up her balcony and that was locked as well. I was in a full out panic attack now as I started banging away at her balcony door. "Gabriella!" No answer. "Gabriella answer the door!" I banged some more but got nothing. I started pacing back and forth then I went back to the first level, around the side of the house and saw a window was slightly open. I pushed the screen up and the rest of the window and climbed in. Once I was in I rushed around the house looking for Gabriella but saw no sign of her. I went up to her room and saw her bathroom door was close. I quickly went to open it but it was locked. "Gabriella open the fucking door right now!" No answer. "Gabriella I swear to god if you do not open this door then I'm counting to three and breaking it down!" Still no answer. "Alright you asked for it! One!..Two!...Three!" I moved back then rushed into the door breaking it open and the sight I found horrified me beyond belief. Gabriella was passed out in front of the sink in a puddle of her blood on the floor and a knife on the floor next to her as I saw the cuts she had on her arms. "No..." I breathed. "No she couldn't have…." I said to myself. Why would she do this to herself? I could never picture Gabriella doing something like this, I thought. I snapped out of the state of shock I was in then picked her up and drove her to the hospital.

_Gabriella's POV_

I woke up in the hospital, my arms were bandaged and an IV with blood in it was hooked up to me. I remembered what had happened, I remembered clear as day, but who brought me here? I had locked everything, no one could have gotten in, and I wanted it that way. I looked around when my eyes caught someone coming in the doorway. "Troy?" I asked as soon as I realized who it was. "You're awake." He said in a flat tone. I nodded. "How are you feeling?" I shrugged. "Fine I guess." I saw Troy's eyes change into a dark blue, signifying he was angry. "Fine? Gabriella you almost died!" I shrugged again. "I know that." I said nonchalantly. "You know?! If you know then what the fuck were you thinking! Why the hell did you do that to yourself?!" I kept calm as Troy yelled at me. It didn't faze me, I didn't really care. "I was thinking that it'd give me a release." I replied, monotony. He scoffed. "A release? What kind of release were you expecting to get?!" I looked him in the eyes. "The release of all the pain I felt because my best friend moved, your ex-girlfriend verbally abused me, and because you have been avoiding me." Tory's eyes and facial expression softened in that moment as he looked away and ran his fingers through his hair, before turning back to face me. "I'm sorry." I rolled my eyes. "Whatever Bolton." I looked away out the window. He sighed and came over to sit beside me. "Ella please, I really am sorry….I…I just…" He sighed again. "You just what Troy?" He looked away. "I don't know." I scoffed. "Figures." He grabbed my hand then and looked me dead in the eyes making my breath catch as it always did when I was looking directly into his eyes. "Let me make it up to you, please." I sighed and this time I softened up. "Fine…but how do you expect to do that?" He kissed my hand. "You can get out of here in a couple of days. When you do, go out with me I have something….special planned." I shivered at his words and nodded. "Okay."


	18. Chapter 18

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 18**

_Sorry I'm just updating now. I got kind of stressed out and busy with work and everything so I took a couple days to myself. But I'm back now so here is the next chapter._

_Gabriella's POV_

I got out of the hospital two days later, and when I got home I got quite the scolding from my parents. As always, but in the end they both broke down and worried and cried and hugged me and kissed me and said they were glad I was okay and told me not to do something like that again, blah, blah, blah. I reassured them and just got back to life as if nothing had happened. I spent some extra time with Isabella as she heard I had been in the hospital and was scared. I felt I owed her some one on one time.

Over the few days after I got out of the hospital I was very anxious and restless. I didn't know what Troy had planned, but I was still really excited and couldn't contain that excitement one bit. I even went out and bought a whole new outfit for the date, new perfume, and got my hair done. I know, I know, maybe I went overboard but I didn't care, I just knew I wanted to look my best for Troy.

It was finally the night of the date, but it would have been nice if Taylor was here though, she could have helped me pick everything out and she could have even helped me get ready tonight. I took a shower and then blow dried my hair and did my make-up. For my hair I curled it and pinned it up in an up-do, letting a couple strands of hair to fall on either side of my face. For my make-up, I decided to go for a smoky look for my eyes and then I put on a brilliant red lipstick that was waterproof. I decided to put on some silver hoop earrings and my silver Pandora bracelet that I had gotten for my birthday this past year, with a few of my favorite charms. Then I started getting dressed. I put on the dress I had gotten which was a red halter dress that came down mid-thigh and showed off a decent amount of my chest but not too much. After my dress, I put on my new red heels that wrapped around my feet and stopped half way up my calf. They were by far the cutest shoes I had ever bought. Once my outfit was on I checked myself out in the mirror to make sure everything looked good. "Perfect!" I said, smirking to myself. I grabbed the new perfume I bought and sprayed some on me. "Now I'm ready." I checked myself one more time and then I heard my mom call from downstairs. "Gabi! Troy's here!" I giggled to myself in excitement then headed downstairs, Troy was standing by the front door talking to my dad, until my dad looked up me, in a disapproving fatherly way, causing Troy to look up, his mouth instantly dropped open but he regained his composure a minute later so he didn't upset my father. I smiled to myself and headed the rest of the way down the stairs. Troy looked really nice, he had on a nice pair of dressy black pants, and white shirt with black stripes that had sleeves that came part way down his arms. Over top of the shirt was a black vest and he had on a red tie. That was not even planned. I giggled to myself. But his top and vest were a bit tight on him showing off his muscular body, he looked so good, I wonder if he wore that top on purpose. "Have her home by 10 Troy." My dad said sternly. "Dad, I'm not a little girl anymore." I whined. "You're still my little girl. Now home by ten." I sighed and agreed then Troy and I headed out.

"Oh my god Ella you look amazing and you smell so sexy, I don't know how I'm going to be able to control myself tonight." Troy blurted out as soon as we were out my door. I smiled mischievously and said "Who says I want you to control yourself?" in the sexiest, most seductive voice I could manage. I saw him shiver at my words which just made me smile even more. "Anyway, back to our date, I need to blindfold you; I don't want you to see where we are going, its part of the surprise." I rolled my eyes. "Fine." I wined. He chuckled and blindfolded me then led me to the car. Once we were both in we headed for our destination. About an hour later we stopped. "Are we here?" I asked. "Yep, just stay in your seat I'll come around and get you out." He said, and then I heard him open the door and get out. A minute later he was at my side of the car and helped me get out. It was nice and cool out but not too cool; it was a very comfortable temperature. I heard some waves like you would here at a beach and I started getting more anxious. Troy led me some more and I felt something soft under my feet. "Are we almost there Troy?" I asked. "Just one more minute." He replied. "Alright here." He took my blindfold off and my eyes were meant with the most beautiful site. We were in a secluded area on the beach and Troy had set up a table, not too far from the water, with a white table cloth on it which had a smaller red table cloth on top of it, he had rose petals spread out on the table and small candles lit around it. There was food from my favorite Italian restaurant, Grande's, off to the side on a separate table, it was sort of like a buffet and Troy had a trio of musicians playing romantic music. It was all so beautiful. "Oh my gosh Troy." I took my seat and he went and served the food then took his seat as well. Then we started eating our dinner.

"How's the food?" Troy asked. "It's delicious, just like eating at the actual restaurant." I said with a smile, and he smiled back. We finished eating a few minutes later. "Hey Ella?" Troy asked. "Yeah Troy?" I said looking up to him. "Would you like to dance?" I nodded and blushed. He smiled and came over, taking my hand, and led me near the water to dance. He put his hands on my waist and I wrapped my hands around his neck, resting my head on his chest as we danced. In that moment of dancing, it was as if it was only Troy and I in the world in that moment, everything around us melted away and my senses were heightened as I danced with him. I felt his warmth against my body, could smell his enticing body spray, could hear his breathing and feel his heart beating with mine. I felt so safe and secure. It was the most amazing experience I had ever had. I moved myself closer to Troy and tightened my grip around him, not wanting the moment to end. In return Troy tightened his arms around me as well.

A little while later Troy pulled away and looked at me. "Let's go for a walk." I was so caught up in everything that was happening that I could do nothing but nod in response. Troy took my hand and pulled me a little ways down the beach. It took me a few minutes before I snapped out of whatever trance I had been in and walked side by side, hand in hand, with Troy down the beach. We stopped in front of a small area that had a waterfall with a pool of water around it and beautiful flowers around the water, then the next thing I know Troy took both of my hands and looked into my eyes. "Gabriella…I know I've hurt you in the past, including recently, but I want you to know that I am truly sorry, and that you mean so much to me and I can't picture seeing you with someone else so will you please do me the honors of…" Troy pulled a necklace out of his pocket and held it out to show me. "…being my girlfriend?" I looked at the necklace; it was a blue T with a small diamond on the top right part of the T. I teared up and smiled. "T as in Troy?" He blushed and shrugged. "Well…yeah." I hugged him tight. "Oh Troy, I'd love to be your girlfriend!" I hugged him tighter and he hugged me back. "Here, turn around, let me put the necklace on you." I smiled and turned around. Troy put the necklace around me and I turned back around and looked down at it. It was truly the cutest thing ever and it wasn't over the top or too little and inconsiderate. It was perfect. I looked back up at Troy and smiled; he smiled back and kissed me.


	19. Chapter 19

**The Guy Next Door **

**Chapter 19**

_So sorry that it has been so long since I last updated. I've been so busy these last couple of months. Senior year is definitely keeping me occupied. School, rehearsals, work…it's all so crazy. But I promise I didn't forget about this story. I've been home sick these last two days and today I couldn't sleep any longer so I'm up and going to do some writing. I have a 4 day weekend coming up so I'll try getting some chapters out this weekend. Anyway, that's my whole spiel, here's the next chapter!_

_P.S. I may upload another chapter today to, but later since my mom wants cleaning to be done. _

_Recap..._

_Troy put the necklace on me and I turned back around and looked down at it. It was truly the cutest thing ever and it wasn't over the top or too little or inconsiderate. It was perfect. I looked back up at Troy and smiled; he smiled back and kissed me._

My whole body melted in his embrace, the kiss was so passionate and full of feeling that it nearly took my breath away. So this is how it feels to be kissed by Troy Bolton, I thought to myself, it feels better than I could have ever possibly imagined. I was disappointed when he pulled away, I didn't want it to end.

"Wow…that felt….amazing. You have no idea how much I've wanted to do that since the day you left me hanging to go get baby Emma." Troy said as he smirked.

I blushed. "Hey the baby always comes first." I said as I stuck my tongue out at him.

Troy laughed and put his arm around my waist as we walked a bit more. After we walked we headed back to the car and got a blanket out, then went back by the waterfall and Troy laid the blanket over the sand so we could lay down on it and look up at the stars. As we layed down I snuggled close to him, since that night all I wanted was to be close to him. We laid there in a peaceful silence and everything was perfect. I had never felt more at ease in my entire life. I felt like I was in my own little world with Troy and I loved every minute of it.

"Hey, smile for me." Troy said.

I didn't know what he was talking about at first until I saw he had a camera in his hand. I did like he asked and he snapped a picture of us, then he kissed me and snapped another. I giggled.

"I didn't know we were going to be having a photo shoot." I said.

Troy smiled. "Just a few photos, after all we should have memories of such a perfect night like this one."

"And many more to come I hope."

I said, smiling, and then I kissed him. We got up and grabbed the blanket to put it back in the car then took some more pictures. We took a picture of the water fall, and each took a picture of each other in front of it, then Troy had one of the musicians take a photo of him and me in front of it. We took a couple pictures of the sea and of the moonlit sky, of the musicians, and Troy even showed me that he had taken a picture of the whole dinner set up before I arrive and of the necklace he gave me. We took so many wonderful pictures, to remember such a wonderful night.

"It will be going on nine soon, we should probably get going since it takes an hour to get home and your dad said to have you home by ten. I don't want to get on his bad side on our first date." Troy said.

I smiled. "Yes, of course. Let's get going."

Troy smiled and took my hand as we walked back to the car. We got back to my house at exactly ten o'clock. I saw my dad look out from his and my mom's bedroom window and give us a thumb up, I couldn't help but giggle. Troy walked me to my door and then we said our goodbyes.

"Thank you for such an amazing night Troy. It has truly been the best night of my life." I said.

"No, thank you Ella, for coming on this date with me tonight, I thought you might not come. I know I've fucked up in the past when it has come to you, and I am so sorry for that, but just know that I never meant to hurt you. You're the last person I want to hurt, and I swear I will try my hardest to be the best boyfriend I could possibly be for you because I don't want anyone else but you. You're the most amazing girl I have ever known. You're so different from other girl which is what I like about you. I just…god I don't know the words to describe how I feel about you…" I put my finger to his lips and cut him off.

"Shh Troy, it's okay."

With that I grabbed him and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around me and started kissing me back pushing me lightly against my door as the kiss deepened. My whole body started tingling and I got goose bumps as my breathing got harder. Troy ran his hand down my body and back up as his other hand rested on the back of my head pressing it so our Lips crashed harder together. I could hear Troy's breathing start to quicken. I moved my hands down his chest and his abs down to his pants and wrapped my fingers around his belt loops pulling him closer to me which in turn back me into the door harder. Troy groaned and bit my lower lip then he started kissing down to my neck, putting his hands on either side of my head pressing his body against mine, I could feel his growing erection against me and let out a gasp pushing him closer to me by putting my hands on his behind and squeezing as I pushed. Troy hissed in pleasure and pulled away.

"God you drive me crazy Ella. It's so hard to maintain my control around you; you're just so…enticing." He whispered, in his low sexy voice that I loved so much, sending shivers through my body. He nibbled on my ear lobe.

"Mmm Troy…" His lips pressed against mine again, hard, and I instantly kissed him back just as fiercely. Then he pulled away again making me groan in frustration.

"Sorry babe but I should go before things get too heated." He smirked.

I rolled my eyes, as if they hadn't already gotten "too heated". I sighed and nodded.

"I understand. You're right. Good night Troy." I gave him one last peck on the lips as he smiled.

"Good night Ella." He headed back to his car and waved goodbye as he drove off. I'm guessing he needed to go pick things up back at the beach.

I went inside and closed the door, sliding down against it once it was shut. I was in complete and utter bliss. High on a cloud, high on Troy's passion, so high I didn't want to come down.

_How was it? Hope you enjoyed it! Again, so sorry it's been so long. Well as always if you have any ideas or anything you would like to see happen just leave it in a review or PM me and I'd be more than happy to consider your ideas and the things you want (:_


	20. Chapter 20

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 20**

_Yay! We have reached the 20__th__ Chapter! I'm actually quite surprised that I was able to do this many (: I'm still not sure when I will end this story but hey who's rushing for this to be over? Not me! : P_

_Troy's POV_

I went back to the beach and cleaned everything up then headed home. When I got home I went straight to my room and flopped down on my bed taking in a deep breath then letting it out. I couldn't stop thinking about Gabriella she was just the most amazing girl I had ever met and I couldn't believe I had hurt her all those times. I felt so guilty and hated myself even, I knew I didn't deserve her but now I had her, and I would do everything I could to keep it that way. I kept thinking for a while until a figure crossed my view from across the way. I got up instantly and moved closer to my window. Gabriella had gone into her room and she sat down on her bed, I could see her smiling to herself. I loved that smile of hers and I hoped it was because of me. Then she got up, grabbed a t-shirt and some panties then headed into her bathroom. She came back out a minute later and sat back on her bed to take her shoes off then she stood up and started to undress. I started growing hard at the sight but it didn't feel right to keep looking. I had never seen her fully naked before, and I didn't want to until she wanted me to see her that way. So as much as I wanted to keep looking, I couldn't, so I closed my blinds and curtains as I sighed. Then I chose to get in the shower myself. When I was in the shower I started to feel my dick and stroke it up and down. I closed my eyes and pictured Gabriella doing it. God I wanted her so fucking much. After my shower I went to sleep and I dreamed of Gabriella…and me…in my bed….good god it was amazing.

_Gabriella's POV_

I was in such a giddy mood, I don't think I have ever been as happy as I was tonight, it had been so perfect. Troy was the most wonderful guy I had ever had the pleasure of knowing besides Ryan. He made me feel so good, so alive, and so beautiful. He was the perfect guy, nice, caring, sweet, strong, and gorgeous like a Greek god. I finished undressing then felt myself up a bit, moving my hands up my body across my stomach, over my breasts and up my neck then back down again. I closed my eyes and imagined it was Troy touching me. Oh how I longed for his touch, for his body against mine, skin to skin. Just thinking about it all started getting me wet; I bit my lip then snapped out of my reverie and headed into the shower. God I wanted Troy so much, but I didn't want to make myself appear easy or make myself appear as though all I wanted was sex. I don't know what to do. I guess I should just wait until it comes naturally. After my shower I went straight to bed. I dreamed of Troy and me… damn was it a good fucking dream.

**The Next Day**

_Gabriella's POV_

I woke up the next morning and chose my outfit carefully. I wanted to tease Troy a bit today, I don't know why; I think my hormones are getting to me. I blushed at the thought. Hmm what to wear today? I chose to wear my tight black skinny jeans with my red high heeled boots and my red V-neck t-shirt which was a bit see through and hugged my curves perfectly. I put my hair in a messy bun and because I had curly hair some strands dropped down around my face with their bit of curl. I did my eyes in a smoky black eye shadow and silver eyeliner on my upper eye then a black eyeliner on my water line with a bit of blush and a bright red lipstick. I checked myself out in the mirror real quick. Perfect I thought to myself as I smirked. I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs to grab my protein shake then headed to school. Troy had morning basketball practices so he had to be at school earlier than me. I went to my locker and grabbed my books for my morning classes then headed to homeroom. When I walked into the classroom all eyes were on me, some guys were whistling at me and checking me out, some girls were whispering to one another about how good I looked and they couldn't believe I looked that good, and then there was Sharpay looking at me with an icy glare, she didn't like when someone looked better than her or got more attention than her. I simply walked over to my seat. As I walked toward my seat I saw Chad, Troy's best friend, punch Troy in the arm to get his attention, Troy looked over to me and his mouth dropped. I couldn't help but giggle.

"Good morning boys." I said to the basketball guys, they all just nodded a hello not able to speak.

Troy came over to me and wrapped his arm around my waist pulling me close to him then he bent down and whispered in my ear in that lower sexy voice of his.

"Good god you look so fucking sexy right now. The things I want to do with you…" I shivered at his words.

That voice…that voice could turn me on in seconds. A guy never had this effect on me before. Troy then kissed me hard on the lips pushing my head to his, snapping me out of my thoughts. I got that same tingling sensation I had the night before…everywhere. I tangled my fingers in his hair and kissed him back just as hard. He pressed his body against mine and grinded his groin into mine, letting me feel his erection beneath him. I loved feeling that knowing it's of my doing. I let out a small moan against his lips.

"Troy…you drive me wild." I whispered in a seductive way. He bit his lip showing he liked the sound of that and kissed me once more moving his hand to my ass and pushing me closer to him. After kissing a bit more I pulled away…completely aware of what we were doing…and in front of our whole homeroom.

"We should stop, we're at school." I said. Troy groaned. He knew I was right and nodded, then took me to his seat and had me sit on his lap, moving underneath me so I could feel his hardness beneath me. This man…there are no words.

"Get a room!" Sharpay yelled in disgust.

"Go fuck yourself Sharpay!" Troy yelled back.

"No thanks, I rather you fuck me!" She said with a smirk.

Anger flashed through me and my eyes grew two shades darker than their original color but I didn't act on my anger, it wasn't worth it, she wasn't worth it. Ms. Darbus came in a few minutes later and lectured us then we left to go to our first period class. I saw Sharpay in the hill and tripped her without her noticing who did it, I laughed at the sight. "Take that bitch" I thought then hurried to class. I took my seat next to Troy and smiled a devious smile, he knew I had done something and he smirked back. I crossed my legs and started rubbing tip of my shoe up and down his leg. In return he put his hand on my thigh and squeezed it before rubbing up and down it. I bit my lip. We did that the whole class. At lunch time we went to the abandoned hallway and made out like crazy both of us breathing erratically and both of us wanting to go further but neither of us made that move. The end of the day came and I said bye to Troy as he had basketball practice. He gave me a rough kiss good bye and a squeeze on the ass winking at me.

"Always leave them wanting more…" He whispered in my ear in that sexy lower voice of his.

Shivers ran down my body and with one last slap on the ass and a gasp from me, I went home.

_Hmm lot of sexual emotions running through these two eh? They can't keep their hands off of each other ;) Will either give into their hormones and make that move soon? Or is this just a phase from being in a new relationship? Will it die out? And if it does will they be as close as they are? Or drift away?_


	21. Chapter 21

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 21**

_I'm glad my story is liked __ some of your reviews have made me feel really good about this story, I'm so glad you enjoyed it, keeps me wanting to write more for you all! (:_

_About a month later…_

When I got home all I could think about was Troy and our goodbye at school. How was it possible that a guy could make my hormones as wild as they are? How could a guy make me feel the way Troy did? It was all so mind blowing but I loved all of it. I smiled to myself then sighed. I really needed to get to work on my homework. I put some music on and got to work helping pre-occupy my thoughts of Troy. It took me all of an hour and half until I was finished and then I didn't know what to do.

Suddenly my phone rang, it was Taylor, I wasn't expecting to hear from her but I got excited since I had so much to tell her.

"Tay Tay!"

"Heyyy Gabi! I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No no! Not at all Tay, I'm glad you called, I have so much to tell you!" Taylor laughed.

"Well me first! About why I called…"

"Yes?"

"I'm moving to Albuquerque!"

I screamed in excitement and jumped up and down. "Oh my gosh! No way! When? Why? Oh I can't wait to see you!" Taylor laughed some more.

"I can't wait to see you either but calm down girl haha" I laughed to.

"I'm sorry I'm just so excited!" I squealed.

"I should be moved in by next week. You know how both of my parents are in the medical field?"

"Yes I do."

"Okay well they got offered positions at a local hospital in Albuquerque, one that is well known and the pay is so much better than what they are being paid now and the company that owns the hospital is paying for our move, our house and everything."

"Oh that is so great Tay do you know where you will be moving to? Like your address?"

"Oh yeah! I think I wrote it down somewhere, hang on, I'll be right back." I waited a couple minutes then Taylor was back. "Got it! It's 118 Chestnut Drive." I gasped and went silent.

"Gabi? Are you there?"

"Huh? Oh yeah! Sorry I'm just so excited because that is the house directly across from mine! It is such a beautiful house Tay and it's huge like Troy's! You're going to love it!"

Now it was Taylor's turn to scream. "No way! Oh my gosh I can't wait!"

After coming down from our excitement about Taylor's move she asked me about what news I had and I was only too happy to answer.

"Troy asked me to be his girlfriend last night! It was so romantic Tay the best night I have ever had it was heaven I never wanted it to end; and the way he asked, oh gosh he's amazing!"

I explained everything to her and after more excitement we said goodbye and got back to our own thing. After getting changed into sweats and a sports bra, and putting my hair up, I grabbed my phone and ear buds and headed out for a jog. On my jog I saw Chad, Troy's best friend, sitting on a bench in a nearby park that I always jogged by. He looked upset, almost as if he was crying. Now Troy's friends hadn't really accepted me right off the bat when they found out today that Troy and I were together which I didn't expect them to, but being the way I was I couldn't help but to go over and see if everything was alright. I figured there was a chance he may call me names and be an ass; completely rejecting any help from me but it was worth a shot. I turned my music off and went over to him.

"Chad?" He jumped when he saw me.

"Oh…hi."

I could tell he was trying to man up and look like everything was alright but it was too late, I had already seen how upset he was.

"Is everything alright?"

"What the hell do you care? Just go away bitch."

I cringed at the harsh words but stood my ground.

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I said no. Do I need to spell it out for you?"

He scoffed.

"I don't see why the fuck Troy chose you. He was better with Sharpay, but being the whore you are you ruined that."

"You can say all the mean and hurtful things you want to me but it will not change the fact that I'm not going anywhere. Not until you tell me what is wrong."

"And if I don't?"

I just smiled.

"If you don't I'll just sit here. And if you try leaving I will follow you. I told you I'm not going anywhere so speak up."

Chad smirked at me.

"You're a feisty little thing aren't you?" His smirk didn't last for long as I could tell he started thinking about what to do, and then he finally sighed and dropped his head shaking it. "It's my girlfriend…well ex now. She just broke up with me…for another guy."

"Oh…I'm sorry. How long were you guys together?"

"A year and a half…I thought everything was fine…I thought I made her happy but I guess not. I mean I wasn't bad to her, I tried to be the best boyfriend I could be but it just wasn't enough. I…I loved her Gabriella."

He started tearing up again but sniffled and wiped his eyes with his arm trying to be tough once more. I sat down beside him and put my had on his back and rubbed soothing circles around it.

"It's okay to cry about it Chad, you don't have to be tough all the time. A guy has feelings to and just because you are a guy doesn't mean that you are not allowed to show those feelings. Besides, some girls like when guys show that sensitive side of theirs." I said with a smile. Chad let out a small chuckle.

"Yeah I guess you're right…I just…I loved her so much…I don't know what to do now."

With that Chad let the tears begin to fall, right there in front of me, me of all people, me miss "Nerdella", I couldn't believe it. I moved closer to him and wrapped my arms around him pulling him into a hug. He hugged me back and cried on my shoulder. All the while I continued to rub his back and whisper soothing words to him trying to get him to calm down. I couldn't believe Chad Danfourth was crying on my shoulder…and letting me hug him and comfort him. This was certainly a first.

After a while I was able to calm Chad down and then he insisted on walking me home so I let him. He put his arm around my shoulders and I put mine around his waist and we walked back to my place. Once we got there Chad scooped me up in a big bear hug and spun me around making me giggle, then he put me back down.

"Thank you so much Gabriella, for listening to me and comforting me. I appreciated it very much. And I just want to apologize for being such an asshole to you, not only earlier but for the whole time you've been in Albuquerque. I should have just taken the time to get to know you, Troy obviously did and now you're his girlfriend, and let me tell you he is one lucky man to have an amazing girl such as yourself to call his. I really hope you can forgive me and maybe be my friend." Chad said with a shy smile.

I smiled back. "I think we made it to the friend stage as soon as you hugged me back earlier." I giggled. "But I forgive you; of course I'll be your friend. Here's my number so whenever you need to talk just call me okay." I had grabbed his phone and put my number in it.

"Thanks Gabs, mind if I take a picture of us for your contact picture?" I nodded.

"Sure." He snapped a picture of us and then put his phone away.

"Thank you again Gabs, see you tomorrow in school." He kissed my cheek and waved bye as he started walking home. I smiled to myself, I'm glad I was able to get Chad on my side now because now I actually had a friend here in Albuquerque again, besides my boyfriend.

_The next day…_

It was lunchtime and I was eating by the window in the cafeteria away from Troy and his friends, as I knew they didn't like me, and I wanted Troy to be able to sit with his friends without the drama of my presence. I didn't mind it so much; I enjoyed watching Troy laugh and have fun with his friends. It made me happy. I got up to throw my garbage away when Sharpay stood up in the second floor of the cafeteria, microphone in hand and said…"Listen up everybody, I have something to show you all." The big screen in the cafeteria began to come down and for some reason I got a very unpleasant feeling in my stomach, like something bad was going to happen. Next thing I knew a video of me and Chad's encounter from the other day started playing but yet only the part of me bringing Chad into my arms, not the part of him insulting me beforehand. How in the world did she get that? Was she spying on me? And more importantly what was she trying to prove?

"Oh Troy…looks like your girlfriend was only using you to get to your BEST FRIEND!" She smiled an evil smile and then I saw Troy turn toward me…he looked mad….real mad…and then he started coming over to me. I don't know what it was but something about the way he looked scared me.

"Are you fucking kidding me Gabriella?! You get with me one day and the next you go after my best friend?!"

"No...No Troy that's not it, that's not what it looks like I swear I wa…." He cut me off and came closer to me making me back into the window, and then he slammed his hands behind me trapping me. I flinched and tried to slide down away from him. I was definitely scared now.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear it! Obviously you were trying to come onto Chad and he fell for it…even though he has a girlfriend…you…you…WHORE!"

All I did was shake my head in response since I couldn't think of any words and then I started balling my eyes out. Troy spit at me and started walking away. Chad got in front of him trying to stop him from leaving.

"Troy stop, she's telling you the truth, that's not what it..." Troy cut him off by shoving him against a nearby wall.

"And you…you! How could you sit there and give into her? Why didn't you stop her? I'm your best fucking friend!"

"Troy if you would just stop and list…" Troy shoved Chad harder into the wall.

"No!" Then Troy let go of chad, dropping him to the ground, and stormed out of the cafeteria. I darted over to Chad as soon as Troy left, shaking terribly in fear and got down and checked on Chad.

"C-Chad are y-you okay?" I helped him up and his head was bleeding from his fall. "Oh. Oh my god…y-you're bleeding." I brought my trembling hand up to his wound and he winced in pain grabbing my wrist and pulling it down just holding it in place.

"I'm okay Gabs, it'll heal, but you…you are not okay, look at how bad you're shaking…" A sob I had been holding back escaped my throat and I collapsed to the ground as I started crying even harder and trembling even more. I started hyperventilating and this time Chad was the one to pick me up off the floor, but he picked up completely, he picked me up bridal style and cradled me to his chest.

"Gabs you need to calm down…you're going to cause yourself to lose consciousness from loss of breath. Please don't do that to yourself. I'm going to sort this out, I swear to you I will."

I wrapped my arms tighter around his neck and sobbed into his chest. I tried to calm down, but I had no luck and did in fact go unconscious.

_Troy's POV_

After storming out of the cafeteria I went into the halls and started punching away at lockers. How could those two do this to me? Chad especially! And I thought Gabriella was different, that she was nothing like Sharpay, but she is, she so is. I couldn't control my anger it was too strong. I continued punching things and then I went in the gym and threw basketballs around and yelled at the top of my lungs. As my anger grew I started thinking very violent things, I started thinking of hurting Chad, and even worse…Gabriella. I just didn't know what to do, what to think, I felt like I was going insane and at this point I wouldn't be surprised. Just then Chad came running in, and as soon as I saw him a fire ripped through me, and I went over to him, I wanted to hurt him.

"Troy! You need to listen to me right now!"

I threw a punch but he dodged it, I threw another and he dodged it again. It was pissing me off even more.

"Troy knock it off! You have no fucking idea what really happened between Gabriella and I, no fucking idea at all! All you know is what Sharpay showed you that's it! Why would you listen to her? Of all people why her?"

I threw another punch but he caught my hand, I used my other to try and go again but he caught that one too. Chad could be extremely strong when he wanted to, and right now he was just that. He bent my arms behind my back with a tight grip on my wrists making me hiss in pain.

"Sharpay the girl who cheated on you, Sharpay the girl who was part of the reason Gabriella ended up in the hospital, Sharpay the girl who would do anything to get what she wants which right now is you…so why are you listening to her?!"

I thought about this. I hated to admit it but he was right. Why was I going by her word? I started to calm down and Chad released me. I rubbed my wrists.

"Now are you going to listen to me?" I nodded. Then he took his phone out.

"Tiffany dumped me yesterday…she dumped me for that guy Tyler the one you told me you thought she might have been cheating on me with." He showed me the text messages from Tiffany dumping him and her reason for it. All the color drained from my face.

"I went to the park I always go to when I'm upset or when I want to go for a jog and I sat on the bench trying to take in what had happened and then I broke down and cried. All the pain hit me at once, all the disbelief. Gabriella was showed up in sweats and a sports bra, kind of sweaty. She looked like she had gone for a jog. She wanted to know what was wrong with me but I refused to tell her and said some harsh things to her but she was persistent and I finally gave in and told her. I tried to act tough but after a few words from her I couldn't hold it in anymore and started balling my eyes out. She hugged me and rubbed my back trying to comfort me and she did. After that I walked to her home and apologized for all the times I had been so mean to her, I asked for her forgiveness and for her friendship. She gave me both. Then I hugged her goodbye and left. That's it."

I thought about what Chad had just said and it all made perfect sense. I fell to my knees. I couldn't believe how I had reacted when I wasn't even sure of what had happened. I felt horrible.

"Where's Gabriella?" I said quietly.

"Troy…she's in the nurse's room unconscious." I whipped my head up at him and bolted to my feet.

"What?"

"She hyperventilated because she was crying so much."

"No!" I bolted out of the gym and sprinted to the nurse's office. There she was, unmoving on one of the cots. I ran over to her, and wrapped my arms around her. "God baby please wake up please, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…I don't know what happened…I just…I….baby please!" I held her and started to cry…I couldn't believe I did this to her. Chad came in and shortly after he arrived Gabriella woke up.

"Troy?"

"Ella!" I hugged her tight. "I'm so sorry, I know the truth now, I'm sorry I didn't ask about it I'm so sorry baby please forgive me please I don't want to lose you!" She put her finger to my lips to quiet me.

"It's okay; I know what it looked like…I forgive you." Then she wrapped her hand around my neck and kissed me. I kissed her back with such passion, such longing. I didn't want to lose this perfect girl. I couldn't.


	22. Chapter 22

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 22**

_A week later…_

It was finally Wednesday, the day Taylor would arrive in Albuquerque. I couldn't wait for school to get out so I could go see her. She had texted me earlier this morning telling me her plan had landed and they were going to get breakfast and then were heading to the new house; she invited me to come over once I got out of school, and I wasn't passing that up, it had been so long since I last saw her, it was going to be so awesome to have my best girlfriend back in my life.

It was lunch time and Troy met me at my locker so we could go out to lunch today. He had been so attentive since last week when he freaked out on me and Chad. He had gotten kind of clingy. Which I guess was good since he seemed to have gotten over what happened but the clinginess was getting to be a bit much. I needed some personal space. Maybe I'd talk to him about when we hung out outside of school again.

"Hey Ella!" He leaned down and gave me a peck on the lips. I returned it.

"Hey"

"Ready to go?" He asked.

I smiled.

"Of course."

He grabbed hold of my hand and we went out to his truck. He opened the door for me and I got in, then he shut the door and got in on his side.

"So I figured we could go try that new diner that just opened up by the theater, sound like a plan?"

"Yep sounds good to me, I heard they make good milkshakes." I said smiling. He laughed and grabbed hold of my hand while he drove with his other. It didn't take long to get there, the theater was located downtown and that was about five minutes away from school. When we arrived he parked the car and came to get my door, taking my hand he led me inside. It was a quaint little place, made up in the old fashioned diner way with the bar and the booths. Its colors were red and white, and it had old Coca-Cola pictures up, as well as old cars, pictures of Elvis and other old stars. There was even an old jukebox, not a new modern day touch screen one that but I real old one that you had to use coins for with old songs in it. The waitresses were on skates and dressed in the old style dresses with white aprons. It had a wonderful comforting atmosphere. I had a feeling I was going to like it there, may even become my new favorite place to come to when I needed to study or just hang out if I want to get out of my house or have some me time.

"Order whatever you want, I'm paying." Troy said with that heart stopping smile of his. I couldn't help but smile back.

"Okay. Hmm hey Troy?" I asked.

"Yeah baby?"

"Do you want to share a milkshake with me?" I asked kind of hopeful. It was something I had wanted to do at some point. I bit my lip.

"I would love to, what kind?" He smiled again, and my heart skipped a bit.

"Is chocolate okay?"

"Yes, love it." He winked at me and I blushed.

"Okay great." We ordered a chocolate milkshake to share and I got a grilled chicken wrap with some lettuce and honey mustard. It came with tomatoes but I hate tomatoes so I got it without. On the side I had some fries, with ranch to dip them in, my favorite combination. Ketchup was alright but I preferred ranch; and of course I had to have a pickle on the side, I loved pickles. Troy got a double bacon cheeseburger with onions, tomatoes, pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. He also got fries on the side but he had his with ketchup. I couldn't help but smile to myself; it figures he would get a burger. I let out a small giggle. He looked at me while he was in the middle of chewing; he had some ketchup on the corner of his mouth, which only made me giggle even more. He chuckled.

"What are you giggling at Ella?" He asked.

"You." I giggled some more.

"Me? Oh you couldn't possibly be laughing at me, Troy Bolton, basketball hottie." He winked at me and I giggled some more.

"Oh but I am mister 'Hottie', see you have something on your mouth." I grabbed a napkin and wiped away the ketchup for him. He blushed which made me smile. He was so adorable.

"There all gone."

"Why thank you my lady." He said winking again. I blushed some more. We finished up and then headed back to school.

We went to our lockers and then Troy walked me to class.

"Well I'm afraid this is where we part." He pulled me by the waist and brought me closer to him. That little move was enough to take my breath away…literally. I looked up into those dreamy blue eyes of his and he looked down at me and smirked.

"Talk to you later baby?" He whispered to me, I shivered and nodded. He smirked again and brought his lips crashing to mine. I wrapped my arms around him and started kissing him back, his tongue graze over my bottom lip asking for entrance into my mouth, I obliged and soon our lips were entwining hungrily with one another. I sucked on his bottom lip and he let out a low growl from deep in his throat which gave me tingles all over. He started to push me against the wall and soon my body was pinned beneath his. He started to run his hands down my body as he began placing kisses on my jawline down to my neck making me let out a little moan. Our moment of intimacy was interrupted when the warning bell rang. Troy let out a sexy frustrated groan and opened his eyes to look at me. His eyes appeared darker, full of want and need, want and need for me. It nearly made me pounce on him, and I would have, had we not been in school at that moment.

Troy put his forehead to mine breathing heavy from a little make-out session we had just had moments ago. We stood there in each other's arms just trying to catch our breath and not wanting to let go. The late bell rang. Troy gave me one last passionate kiss and then hurried off to free period work out. I stood there still in a bit of shock at my emotions and gathered my thoughts before heading into class. All I could think about the rest of the day was Troy and how much I wanted him.

After a few more classes the bell signifying the end of school finally rang and I was all too excited to get out of there. I sprinted to my locker, quickly put my things away then sprinted to my car and headed home. I couldn't wait to see Taylor. As soon as I was home I went over to Taylor's, I didn't even go in my house I just went straight across the street, I knocked on the door and answered almost instantly.

"Gabriella!" She brought me into a tight hug. "Look at you, you're so grown, it's been so long. How have you been?"

"I've been great , how have you been?" I asked with a smile.

"I've been wonderful darling. Come in, come in. Taylor is up in her room unpacking her things. Upstairs and it's the first door on the right" I went in and looked around. It appeared they had most of their unpacking all done and it appeared it was already furnished when they had got their so they only had things such as kitchen utensils, pictures, and decorations. All their personal stuff. It was a beautiful house, and was even bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. They really had gotten a great house. After admiring the place a bit more I headed upstairs to Taylor's bedroom. Her door was slightly open.

"Knock knock." I said as I pushed the door open all the way.

"Gabi!" Taylor rand over to me and attacked me with a hug, nearly knocking me over. I laughed and hugged her back.

"Hey Tay! Look at you! You are as beautiful as ever." I hugged her again. I had missed her so much; it felt so great to be hugging her again and to be in her presence.

"And you Gabi, why you look like a goddess, absolutely gorgeous." She gave me a big smile and brought me over to sit on her bed. We sat for a bit and chatted, catching up, and I asked her about her flight and her day. It was good to talk to her in person again. After we talked I spent the rest of my time there helping Taylor finish unpacking her things and organizing her room. I stayed for dinner and then we watched a movie and I headed home. I had an amazing time. I finally had my best friend back.


	23. Chapter 23

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 23**

It was 6:00 in the morning on Saturday. I had to get up and get myself ready for work as I asked to work the day shift today from 7-2 so that way I had the night off and could go to Troy's basketball game, he didn't know that though, I told him I was doing a double and wouldn't be able to make it. I wanted to surprise him.

I got up and got dressed, then put my hair in a messy bun. I would shower after work because I would feel gross anyway. After that shower I'd do my hair better and throw some make-up on as well as a clean outfit of course. My plan was this; I would go to work, come home, get myself ready for the day, grab Taylor and go out to lunch, then go get some manicures and pedicures, and then head to the game. I didn't want to wait until Monday to introduce her to the guys, plus I wanted to spend some more time with her and this way was perfect.

I headed downstairs to make some breakfast and eat then I headed out the door and stopped at Starbucks on my way to work for some coffee. Once I got to work I clocked in and got straight to work. The day went by a lot quicker than I thought it would and soon enough I was finished with work and heading home. As soon as I walked in the door I rushed upstairs, stripped, and got in the shower. The warm water felt nice against my skin, it was soothing. I took an extra few minutes to just let the water run over my body. I had been really sore lately and having some back problems so the water was some nice therapy. After my shower I dried off and wrapped myself in my towel. I did my hair first which was pretty easy since I could leave it a bit damp and just put some product in to make my natural curls extra curly and bouncy and it would dry just like that. I sprayed some instant freeze hairspray and then started on my make-up. I put a bit of foundation on and just put some eyeliner on my eyelid and water line along with some mascara. Not too much, but I would add more later. Once I was finished with my hair and make-up I got dressed. I chose to wear my black skinny jeans paired with a white V-neck shirt (which let me tell you made my breasts look great with just enough cleavage and since I had a push up bra on since they were so much comfier than regular bras, my boobs were pushed up perfectly) with red lettering that had Wildcats written under a picture of a wildcat and Bolton on the back with 14 below it. Our school was crazy about the basketball team so they had made all these products for the games. They had shirts with our player's names and numbers on it, shirts with just wildcats on it, posters, wildcat basketball water bottles and many other things. With my outfit I also wore my red flats which were so cute. I did a once over in the mirror and when I was happy with what I saw I went over and got Taylor and we started our day.

We went to my favorite burger joint about an hour away which was dressed up in the old diner style just like the new one Troy had taken me to the other day except this was much better. It was Johnny Rockets, I loved that place. Their burgers were amazing and their milkshakes were heavenly. I ordered the bacon cheddar burger single with their Dark chocolate shake made with Ghirardelli chocolate and Tay got the smokehouse single burger with a strawberry Oreo shake. Fries came with the burgers and I got ranch to dip mine in as usual and Tay got her ketchup. She always used to pick on me because she thought my ranch/fry habit was weird. I'd always pick on her ketchup/fry habit which I always told her was so boring and that she needed to be adventurous. We laughed about it, when we picked on one another like that. Once dinner was finished I paid and we headed back to our houses to do some last minute touch ups before the game. Taylor wanted to change and fix her hair so I told her we'd meet back up in 30 minutes. I went home and grabbed my thick red and white eye pencils and wrote Bolton on one of my cheeks and 14 on the other going back and forth between the red and white. Then I put on a red lipstick and freshened up my eye make-up. I straightened up clothes then headed back over to Taylor's house. When I got over there she was finishing up straightening her hair. She had changed into a white mini skirt with a red blouse that had one strap around one of her shoulders and her other shoulder was bare, it hugged her body nicely. She added a red head-band to her hair when she finished straightening it and put on her favorite perfume, which was called pink sugar. She looked good. We said bye to her parents and then head to the game.

Once we got to the game I had Taylor go get us a seat while I went and got a big bottle of Troy's favorite Gatorade, rain berry. I myself enjoyed any blue, which was my favorite. I also got some soda and candy for Taylor and I then headed up to the seats. We had got there a little early so we still had some time which Taylor and I spent chatting. Once it got closer to the game I snuck down to the locker room. I knew the guys would all be ready by now or at least close to it so I walked in and as I walked through I made sure all the guys were quiet and didn't tell Troy I was there. Chad was the last to see me as he was with Troy, when he noticed me he smiled and then came up with some excuse to leave. As he walks by me he whispered in my ear that I looked good. I smiled and gave him a hug wishing him good luck then headed over to Troy, who's back was to me. When I got closer I jumped onto his back and he caught me by instinct and I giggled as I kissed his cheek. He put me down a minute later and turned to me.

"Ella?!" I giggled some more and nodded. He wrapped me in his arms and picked me up spinning me around.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had to work a double tonight?"

"I wanted to surprise you so I made up that part about working a double. I only worked the day shift instead of the night shift so I could be at your game. I knew we were going against West High tonight and that's your guys' rival so I couldn't miss it." I smiled at him as he shook his head.

"And what's this?" He motioned toward the Gatorade. I shrugged.

"I figured you might want some to keep you hydrated." He took it from me and took a sip.

"Mmm rain berry, my favorite." He took another sip. "You truly are the most amazing girlfriend. Do you know that?" I blushed and he finally took a step back to look at me. I knew he was checking me out and he started biting his lip which made me blush even more. Then he moved closer to me and wrapped his arms around my waist and whispered into my ear.

"You look so fucking sexy right now..." He closed his eyes and took in my sent. "And damn you smell just the same. That is my favorite perfume of yours. Do you know how much you're turning me on right now? Especially with your scent and the fact you have my name and number on your face as well as a shirt with it too." His voice got lower.

"You are…so…damn…sexy."

I got shivers and my body started to tingle. I bit my lip as his words turned me on. He pulled back and looked at me again.

"Mmm god your biting your lip…do you know what that does to me?" He used his finger to pull my lip from my teeth then pulled me close to him and kissed me roughly on the lips. I melted and instantly started kissing back. He deepened it by asking for entrance as I granted him it and he entered his tongue into my mouth. Our tongues intertwined and moved in sync. He pushed me against the locker and pinned with his body as he started moving kisses down my jaw and to my neck where he kissed a few times and started to suck. I let out a moan and he let out a sexy groan from within his throat. God he was intoxicating. Chad interrupted.

"Damn looky here, Captain is getting some action." He winked and all the guys laughed. Troy pulled away closing his eyes in frustration.

"Sorry dude but you gotta tell that girl of yours goodbye because our game is about to start."

Troy nodded and then looked back at me.

"I want you so much right now…god I can't wait to have you, but I have to go." I pouted and he tickled me making me giggle.

"Okay, okay stop! Troy!" He tickled me some more making me squirm then he chuckled and stoppe

"Thanks for the surprise baby, you're the best. You and your sexy self. I hope you know I'm going into this game with a hard one thanks to you." He winked and I blushed. He kissed me roughly one last time before I pulled away.

"Okay Bolton that's enough it's time to go out there and kick some ass." I spanked him hard and he gave me that sexy half smirk before he grabbed my ass and squeezed it, hitting it after.

"If you say so sexy." My breath had caught in my throat from his actions so I just nodded, blushing like crazy. How did he do this to me? I hugged him once more then headed back out to Taylor. I sat down and the game started. I smiled as I watched my amazing boyfriend do what he did best.

We won the game 120 to 89, it was a great game. Troy did so well as usual and Chad was right behind him. All the guys did a great job; they really had their head in the game tonight. When the game was over I brought Taylor down to the basketball court so I could congratulate Troy and everyone and introduce Tay to the guys. Once we got down to the court I ran over to Troy and jumped in his arms.

"Baby you did so well tonight I'm so proud of you!" Troy caught me and spun me around

"Thanks babe, but I'm telling you it's you who deserves the thanks, you're my good luck charm, without you I would suck and tonight…god tonight you had me right on point." He winked at me and I knew what he was referring to. I blushed like crazy. Once Troy put me down I went over to chad and hugged him. He picked me up in a big bear hug making me giggle.

"Great job tonight Chad!"

"Thanks baby brie" He smiled and put me down.

"So guys I have someone I want you all to meet. Troy do you remember how I told you that my best friend was moving here?" He nodded. "Well…" I went over and grabbed Taylor.

"Taylor this is Troy my boyfriend. These are his teammates Zeke, Jason, Conner..." I went through all of them and then finished with Chad.

"And this is Chad, Troy's best friend and as of late one of my best friends too." I said wrapping an arm around his waist as he put one around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. The two of them looked at each other in this weird way and neither said anything like she and the other guys did. I noticed Chad checking her out and Taylor was looking down trying not to make eye contact as she bit her lip. I had never seen her this way before. Chad was the first to talk.

"Hey there…nice to meet you…Taylor" I could see Taylor shiver slightly. Being her best friend I knew her body language very well and could notice any of it in the blink of an eye. I think she liked him.

"H-Hi Chad…n-nice to meet y-you too" She stammered. I hid a giggle. Chad smirked making Taylor blush and she let a small smile show as the two started looking at each other. This time Taylor checked Chad out and then their eyes met and remained on each other both starting to lose their composure. Troy stepped in to save the day.

"Soo Chad bro we should head back to the locker room and change so we can go get ready for the after party." Chad shook his nodded his head without saying anything, still looking at Taylor before Troy grabbed his arm and started pulling him towards the locker room.

"See you girls in a few" I nodded as Troy winked at me, and I back at him, we both knew something was up with Chad and Taylor.

"Come on Tay lets head outside" I said. She only nodded and followed me out. The guys came out 10 minutes later, showered and changed.

"So sexy, you're going to be my date to the after party right?" Troy asked wrapping his hands around my waist. I giggled.

"Of course, I wouldn't go with anyone else" I said winking.

"Aw not even me Gabs?" Chad asked. I laughed.

"Okay maybe I'd make an exception for you Chad." He chuckled. "Good." I laughed some more.

"Uh gab would you like me to take your car back home so you can head with Troy to the party?" I looked at Taylor and then at Troy who looked at Chad and nodded his head.

"Um…actually….Taylor?" Chad asked going over to Tay who looked a bit surprised.

"Um yeah?" Chad rubbed the back of his neck and looked down before letting out a sigh and grabbing Taylor's hands.

"I know we just met and all but um…I would really like it if you went to the after party with me…what do you say?" Taylor blushed and smiled.

"I'd love to" He smiled a huge smile and then hugged her.

"Thanks" She giggled and hugged him back.

"No problem Chad"


	24. Chapter 24

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 24**

"So Tay and I will meet you guys there?"

"Yeah sounds like a plan babe" Troy kissed me goodbye and then Taylor and I left.

"So where is the after party at?" Taylor asked.

"Chad's, it was at Troy's last time, they tend to switch back and forth." She nodded. "Should I be worried about alcohol?" I laughed.

"Oh no Tay, the guys never have alcohol at the parties they host."

"Oh okay. Phew. I didn't want to take the chance of being taken advantage of."

"You really needn't worry Tay, Chad is a great guy, he wouldn't take advantage of you and I wouldn't allow any other guy take advantage of you either."

"Thanks Gabs" She squeezed my hand and I squeezed hers back.

With that Tay seemed to relax a bit and we talked the rest of the way there. Once we got to Chad's Taylor and I went inside we went and got some sodas and then decided to dance together. We always used to dance together at school dances when we were younger, since neither of us ever had dates we just stuck with each other. After about two dances Chad came over.

"There's my beautiful date." He took Taylor's hand and kissed it making her blush. "Mind if I steal her from you Brie?"

"Not at all, have fun you two and Chad watch out for my best friend." He laughed.

"Of course Brie, I won't let anything happen to her."

I nodded and smiled as they walked off. I really hoped they'd hit it off. It would be great, for the both of them. I headed over to get something to snack on when I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist. I giggled knowing who it was as he buried his face in my hair and kissed the top of my hair.

"Is that my sexy basketball player?" I asked as I turned around in his arms and came face to face with him.

"Why yes it is." He smirked and kissed me. I kissed him back.

"How nice of you to join me Troy" I teased. He chuckled.

"Come dance with me."

He whispered, taking my hand and leading me to the dance floor. I let him and when we got out there I wrapped my arms around his neck as he wrapped his around my waist and we started to slow dance. I relaxed in his arms and let my head rest against his chest, breathing in his scent, he smelled amazing. He used axe body spray, and god did it smell good on him. It just made him all the more attractive. I smiled as I drifted into my own world where it was just Troy and I. Everybody disappeared from around us and in that moment all I could sense, all I could feel was us. I felt something I had never felt before. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world. Troy started holding me tighter and I did the same to him. This moment was perfect. He was perfect, and I couldn't believe he was mine.

"Ella?" Troy had pulled away a little and I looked up at him.

"Yes Troy?" He looked like he was about to say something but then stopped and sighed, shaking his head.

"Nothing, I'm just…I'm just really glad you agreed to be my girlfriend." He said with a smile. I smiled back and hugged him.

"I'm glad you asked me to be your girlfriend."

I could feel him smiling as his lips were against my hair and then he kissed my head holding me some more. We slow danced a while longer and then we all headed outside for a bonfire. We all sat on the grass around the fire, I sat in between Troy's legs and rested my head against his chest, as he had his arms around my chest, and I had my hands around his. Everybody took turns sharing stories and just talking. It was very peaceful. Eventually we all made s-mores and troy got sticky marshmallows all over my face. He got up and started to run around and I chased after him laughing as he teased me saying I couldn't catch him. Eventually he tripped and I caught up to him jumping on top of him keeping him pinned to the ground. I rubbed my face all over his.

"Ha now we both have marshmallow faces." I said giggling.

"Oh you're going to pay for that..." He started tickling me non-stop.

"No! Troy…stop!" I said between laughs.

"Say you'll clean it off"

"Never!" I yelled

"Okay, if you say so…" He tickled me harder,

"Okay! Okay!" I was laughing uncontrollably. "I'll clean it! I'll clean it!" I said. He stopped.

"Good, now get to it." He said getting off of me. I giggled then straddled him and bent down as I started licking off the marshmallow from his face.

"Mhm that's right, get every bit of it missy." I smiled and continued until he was all clean.

"There, all done. Now it's your turn to clean my face off." I said smiling. He smirked then got over top of me again and started doing the same thing I did to him, but he took it a bit further. He started licking down my jaw line to my throat and around then he started kissing my neck and sucking on it.

"Mmm Troy…we have an audience." I said trying to get him off of me.

"Let them watch." He sucked harder as he ran his hands down my body. I let out a moan, as I arched my body into his touch. "That's right baby."

"Mmm come on babe stop." He chuckled and stopped. Then he helped me up.

"You two going to come join us back inside?" I heard Chad say. I blushed.

"Yes Chad" Troy said rolling his eyes making Chad chuckle.

"Alright then see you inside." He wrapped his arm around Taylor's waist as they went back inside. Troy and I followed after.

Back inside the music was faster and more party like. I smiled to myself as an idea popped in my head.

"Dance with me." I said to Troy as I pulled him to the dance floor without even getting an answer from him. When we got out there I turned so my backside was to him and I put my arms up around my head as I wrapped them around Troy's neck and started grinding against him.

"Whoa…okay I like this." He put his hands on my waist as he started grinding back. I started grinding harder as the music started thriving through my body and I got more into it. Troy let out a groan and tightened his hands on my waist. I felt his growing erection against my ass and I smiled to myself as I had succeeded in my mission.


	25. Chapter 25

**The Guy Next Door**

**Chapter 25**

"You like that baby?" I asked in a seductive way, as pressed against him harder and he let out a moan.

"Fuck babe, you're driving me crazy." He said in that low husky voice of his which constantly sent tingles through my body and caused me to shiver. I turned around so we were facing each other and grinded against him that way, I think the feeling of his growth rubbing against my sex turned him on even more because he squeezed my hips tighter as he was still holding me there and pushed me against him even more. I had to admit, the sensation I was feeling from it all was turning me on quite a lot to. Suddenly Troy grabbed my head and smashed his lips against mine. I loved it when he kissed me rough like that. I let out a moan and started kissing him back just as rough. He pushed me over to a wall and pressed me against it pushing his body against min. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he pressed into me even harder and I felt his growth right in my sensitive spot.

"Ah!" I let out a loud gasp and Troy silenced me by pressing his lips against mine again. He penetrated my mouth with his tongue and rubbed it all over my mouth and my tongue hungry for more.

"Mmm Ella let's go upstairs." He whispered into my ear as he was breathing hard. I was breathing hard myself and trying to catch my breath so all I could do was nod. He carried me up the stairs and into a vacant bedroom, kicking the door closed behind him as he threw me onto the bed getting over top of me. His hands started to roam over my body again as we kept making out, this time he let his hands go up under my shirt and felt my bare skin moving up to my breasts which he cupped and started squeezing.

"Troy…" I moaned. His touch was so overwhelming. I didn't want him to stop. He began to stake my shirt off and I let him. He kissed me again and moved down to my neck and then down my chest to my abdomen where he kissed around and started licking. His tongue felt so good over my body. When he moved back up he spent some time kissing my breasts before he reached behind me to unclip my bra. I lifted my body giving him assistance as he did and then he threw it on the floor somewhere before he brought his mouth down to my right breast where he started kissing. He kissed my nipple and licked it, making it hard, and then he bit down on it lightly and pulled.

"Ah! Fuck! Troy!" He pushed my arms above my head so I couldn't move them and started sucking my whole breast as his free hand squeezed and played with my other, then he switched. My body started to move involuntarily as the sensations in my body grew and I started growing wet. No guy had even been able to make me went before. When he finished with my breasts he let me go, allowing me to roam my hands over his body and rip his shirt open so I could feel his bare skin under my hands. I ran them over his godly chest and his rock hard abs. He was the hottest guy alive and he was all mine. I got the upper hand and flipped us so I was on top of him. I kissed him hard before moving my lips down to his neck where I too sucked hard, hard enough to leave marks. Then I kiss down and around his chest and abs before working my way back up then going the same route with my tongue. His body responded to my touch, and I loved the power I felt from that. I made him moan and groan and squirm like he did to me before he flipped us again so he was on top now and continued pursuing me, this time working down to my pants which he started to undo and take off. Again I helped him as I lifted my body so he could get them off. When he had slid them down to my ankles he stopped to take my shoes off before continuing. I now was only in my panties and I was sure you could tell how wet I was down there by just looking. His eyes roamed my body as he bit his lip and rand his hands all the way down, slowly and seductively. I was turned on it was unbelievable. He kissed me again and I used the chance to start taking his pants off to which I succeeded in doing in under a minute.

"Damn, fastest a girl has ever been able to get my pants off." He said smirking. I blushed and moved my hand to his growth, which made Troy instantly close his eyes. I squeezed and started rubbing and he groaned at my touch. I smiled and brought my hands back to his neck, bringing his lips to mine as I kissed him again and sucked on his lower lip, nibbling it. He moaned and pressed his body down against mine. His growth was right against my sex as he pressed down harder and started rubbing against me. This time I moan and arched my body into his as my hips involuntarily moved to meet with his as he continued to rub our most sensitive parts against each other. I grew wetter and wetter by the minute.

By now we were both left in only our underwear, him in his boxers and me it in my panties. I bit my lip as Troy pulled away from kissing me.

"Ella…" He said breathless and in that husky voice. My breath hitched in my throat at the sound which was so seductive to me. "I need to know how…_far_…you want to go…" He said as he looked me directly in my eyes. "All the way." I thought, but I knew deep down I wasn't ready for that just yet and it was still early in our relationship. I mean I couldn't even believe I had let things go this far. I had never planned on letting a guy see and touch my body the way Troy did until the day I did decide to go all the way.

"I'll show you." I whispered in his ear. I grabbed his boxers and moved them down his legs, until they were off allowing his growth to spring free. I couldn't believe how big it looked, and god I wanted it. I brought him down so got on top of him kissing him before I moved my kisses down until I got to…_it. _Immediately I began kissing around his tip and then I kissed the very top where I noticed some pre-cum and licked it off. Then I moved my tongue around the rest of his tip and down his shaft as I used my hand to feel and squeeze his balls. I heard Troy's breath get caught and his breathing picked up again. I could tell he wasn't expecting this. I continued my journey with my tongue before I brought my mouth to his balls. I kissed them and licked them and brought one in my mouth as I started to suck on it while I played with the other.

"Ah! Shit Ella!" Troy's body convulsed beneath me and I smiled. Then I brought the other ball in my mouth and played with the one I had just sucked. Then I licked back up before I brought him in my mouth completely and began to suck…hard.

_Troy's POV_

My body convulsed beneath her again as she continued to suck harder bringing me in deeper each time. I couldn't believe how good she was. While she sucked, she didn't forget about my two buddies as she squeezed and played with them. It was so much pleasure all at once; I knew I was going to come soon, hard, and fast. This girl was amazing. My god she was a goddess. I put my hand on the back of her head and pressed her to me harder. She took the cue and went faster and harder. I threw my head back closing my eyes and started pumping in and out of her as my body just moved involuntarily. I opened my eyes to see she flipped her hair to one said and was looking up at me smiling as she sucked. That was the sexiest thing ever and turned me on so much more. She suddenly got a lot faster if that was even possible and so much harder.

"Fuck! Ella oh baby! Yes oh shit! Oh shit! I'm gonna….I'm gonna…fuck!" Next thing I knew she bit down softly around me and that was my undoing.

"Ah!" My body convulsed violently as I shot my head back, releasing into her at full blast. She pulled back a little but let me empty into her mouth. When she finished she swallowed and wiped her mouth. A girl had never been able to make me feel that good before, and trust me I had my fair share of girls over the years, and no girl I had ever been with had NEVER swallowed which just made Gabriella all the more hotter. I let myself calm down as she climbed back over and started kissing me again. She pushed her tongue into my mouth and I could taste myself as our tongues entwined. I pulled her down to me and she moaned as I pressed against her sex. She was so wet, it was so hot. I wanted to make her come like she had made me, and damn it I planned on it. I pushed her onto the bed and got on top of her making out with her and running my hand over her body. I stopped at her panties and slid them off. Mmm her pussy look mighty fine. I immediately got to work as I started to kiss her precious pussy which was so went for me. She moan and she started to squirm. I could tell she was wicked sensitive down there right now. I smiled and started licking her, real good, moving her wetness all over to make her nice and slick for me. She tasted amazing.

"Shit Troy!" I smirked. I kissed back up her body to her lips and kissed her allowing her taste herself.

"Mmm" I loved hearing her like this. I rubbed my fingers down her body slowly, and softly, I could feel her get goose bumps from my touch. When I got back down to where I started I cupped my hand around her and started rubbing my palm over her clitoris as my fingers rubbed around her opening, teasing her. She whined and squirmed even more.

"Not uh baby, you have to wait." I said winking at her. She whined more.

"But Trooooyyyyy…" I chuckled. I kept up the teasing a bit longer before I entered a finger in her. She gasped and I could feel her tighten around me before it loosen up just a bit. I slowly started moving my finger in and out of her.

"Oh Troy." She started feeling herself up. Shit was she sexy. I started moving faster and her moans grew louder, after a few minutes I added another finger deciding to leave it at two for now. I continued moving them in and out of her, faster, harder, and I started pressing my pal against her clitoris again and releasing, making her whimper as it overrided her pleasure. I started getting into it and I grew hard again. I went up and kissed her hard and continued my penetration with my fingers.

"Shit Ella…you're so sexy…fuck" She started to move her hips in motion with my hand, pressing against it more.

"Troy! I'm gonna come…oh fuck!" I breathing grew harder as I continued working hard in her.

"MM yeah, baby, yeah mm you feel fucking good around my fingers. So fucking wet. Shit!" My words turned her on more and made her grow more and more to orgasm.

"Say my name baby. Say it!" I commanded.

"TROY!" With that she released and I released to. Using my free hand to cover myself up so nothing got near her enough to enter. She collapsed against the bed relaxing. I smiled and kissed her then went to the bathroom and cleaned up. When I came back she was in complete bliss. I loved the sight.

"Oh Troy, you know how to work your hands."

"Mmm yeah baby and you know how to use your mouth. She smiled. "Have you even done that before?" She shook her. "Damn baby, you're amazing" I kissed her again and she kissed me back before pulling away.

"So are you." She kissed me again and we laid there a bit before we got up and dressed. The party would be over soon.


End file.
